On Thursday, the Oregon House of Representatives passed a bill, HB4002, with a 51-7 vote, aiming to re-criminalize hard drugs in the state, effectively bringing an end to Measure 110. The measure will now move to the state Senate, where it enjoys bipartisan support.
Under the new legislation, a new ‘unclassified’ misdemeanor is established for individuals caught in possession of hard drugs such as meth, fentanyl, and heroin.
Following recent amendments, law enforcement officers would have the discretion to decide whether to enroll offenders in a deflection program, connecting them with treatment opportunities, or impose a sentence of up to six months in jail.
Measure 110, a voter-approved law from 2020, had previously decriminalized the possession of small amounts of hard drugs in Oregon. Local state representatives Bobby Levy (R-Cove), Mark Owens (R-Crane), and Greg Smith (R-Heppner) all voted in favor of the bill.
In a statement, Representative Levy said, “HB 4002, a bi-partisan bill, passed the House today. It is a step in the right direction to rectify the disastrous effects of Ballot Measure 110. There are still significant gaps that need to be addressed but it is a first step. As the bill is implemented, I am committed to ensuring that the funds are neither misused nor mismanaged. This is the start of a new day in Oregon. We must continue to fight against the rampant drug abuse in our state.”
“Our Police Chiefs, County Sheriffs, District Attorneys, Counties, and Cities believe that HB 4002 strikes a balance between criminal accountably and the need for adequate access to behavioral health resources,” Rep. Smith stated, “I wholeheartedly agree and was proud to support this legislation, it’s justice with mercy”.
“It was a tough decision for me. One, we definitely needed to change the policy of Measure 110 and 4002 did that. It puts back in some accountability. But as I said on the floor, I am concerned of the lack of funding that is coming to our rural counties to actually implement a successful deflection program. That’ll be my job now in 2025 is to work with our sheriffs, DAs, police chiefs, mental health providers, and others to figure out how can we successfully do this,” Rep. Owens stated. “So it is a good day for Oregonians that we recriminalize drugs. We are moving forward with more treatment centers, and maybe we’re sending a message to the rest of the United States that Oregon is no longer an open, public drug market.”
Last week, lawmakers in Oregon encouraged counties to indicate their support for the bill and their commitment to establishing deflection programs. While some counties expressed interest, others did not. Union County declared that it would not sign on, but Baker County claimed that it would.
