Senator Amedore Announces Passage of “Laree’s Law”

Senator George Amedore, co-Chair of the Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction, announced the Senate has passed Laree’s Law, which would allow law enforcement officials to charge a drug dealer with homicide if a person overdoses on heroin or an opiate-controlled substance sold to them by that dealer. The bill (S.4163) carries a penalty of 15-25 years in prison, and was passed as part of a larger package of legislation aimed at combating the heroin epidemic.

Laree’s Law is named after Laree Farrell Lincoln, a Colonie teenager who died of a heroin overdose two years ago.

“We need to take on the heroin epidemic from all sides. We need prevention, proper treatment and support for those in recovery, and we need to properly punish those that are bringing this drug onto our streets, and into our schools,” said Senator George Amedore.

The legislation is intended to target mid to high level drug dealers who profit from heroin sales, and includes a “co-user” carve out. In  2011, New York adopted a “Good Samaritan” law to shield individuals from charges related to an overdose if they attempt to help the individual and report the incident in a timely manner.

The Senate Task Force recently held four forums throughout the state, and intend to hold more in the Fall. They will issue a report with recommendations for further legislative action to address concerns raised by law enforcement, treatment providers, health and mental health experts, and victims’ advocates that participated in the forum.

In addition to Laree’s Law, the Senate also passed legislation today to:

            > Expand the crime of operating as a major trafficker (S.4177)

            > Make it easier for dealers to be charged with intent to sell (S.100)

            > Improve safety at judicial diversion programs (S.1901)
            > Prevent the sale of synthetic opioids (S.1640)

            > Expand treatment options in judicial diversion programs for opioid abuse (S.4239B)
            > Establish assisted outpatient treatment for substance use disorders (S.631)

            > Create a Prescription Pain Medication Awareness Program (S.4348)

            > Create drug-free zones on grounds of treatment centers (S.4023)

            > Make Kendra’s Law permanent (S.4722)

            > Criminalize the illegal transport of opiate controlled substances (S.608)

> Establishes the option for a youth, suffering from substance abuse, to be adjudicated as       a person in need of supervision (S.3237); and

            > Increase the effectiveness of abuse prevention (S.2847)

The bills were sent to the Assembly for consideration.

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