S.250

Introduced by   Senator Sears of Bennington District

Referred to Committee on

Date:

Subject:  Crimes; criminal procedures; drug trafficking

Statement of purpose:  This bill decreases the amounts of cocaine and heroin required to be possessed in order for the state to impose drug trafficking penalties.  It makes the possession of 150 grams of cocaine and 3.5 grams of heroin the minimum amounts necessary to incur drug trafficking penalties.

AN ACT RELATING TO DECREASING THE AMOUNTS OF COCAINE AND HEROIN REQUIRED TO BE POSSESSED TO TRIGGER DRUG TRAFFICKING PENALTIES

It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:

Sec. 1.  18 V.S.A. § 4231(c)(1) is amended to read:

(c)(1)  Trafficking.  A person knowingly and unlawfully possessing cocaine in an amount consisting of 300 150 grams or more of one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances containing cocaine with the intent to sell or dispense the cocaine shall be imprisoned not more than 30 years or fined not more than $1,000,000.00, or both.  There shall be a permissive inference that a person who possesses cocaine in an amount consisting of 300 150 grams or more of one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances containing cocaine intends to sell or dispense the cocaine.  The amount of possessed cocaine under this subdivision to sustain a charge of conspiracy under 13 V.S.A. § 1404 shall be no less than 800 400 grams in the aggregate.

Sec. 2.  18 V.S.A. § 4233(c) is amended to read:

(c)  Trafficking.  A person knowingly and unlawfully possessing heroin in an amount consisting of seven 3.5 grams or more of one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances containing heroin with the intent to sell or dispense the heroin shall be imprisoned not more than 30 years or fined not more than $1,000,000.00, or both.  There shall be a permissive inference that a person who possesses heroin in an amount of seven 3.5 grams or more of one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances containing heroin intends to sell or dispense the heroin.  The amount of possessed heroin under this subsection to sustain a charge of conspiracy under 13 V.S.A. § 1404 shall be no less than 20 10 grams in the aggregate.