All articles tagged with #house bill 4002
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed a package of bills that reverts minor drug possession to a crime and allocates funds to behavioral health programs, marking the end of the state's brief experience with drug decriminalization. The move comes after discussions with various groups and signals a shift away from the previous approach.
Oregonians rallied in Salem urging Governor Kotek not to sign House Bill 4002, which effectively ends Measure 110, a voter-approved law decriminalizing possession of small amounts of hard drugs. The bill would create an unclassified misdemeanor for drug possession and give law enforcement discretion to send individuals to treatment or jail. Advocates argue that the reform will disproportionately impact people of color, while state leaders emphasize the need to address the addiction crisis.
The Oregon House passed House Bill 4002 in a bipartisan 51-7 vote, making minor drug possession a misdemeanor crime and signaling a potential end to the state's experiment with decriminalization. The emotional proceedings reflected a shift in sentiment, with four Democrats and three Republicans voting against the measure, while two lawmakers were excused.