A group of families, whose loved ones have died due to fentanyl poisoning and have been turned away by state legislative committees, have launched a campaign to take their plea for tighter drug laws directly to the voters. The families, supported by Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, have proposed a law called ACA 12, which, if passed, would make it easier to charge repeat fentanyl dealers with homicide. The proposed law, known as “Alexandra’s Law,” would require courts to warn defendants that they could be charged with murder if they sell fentanyl-laced drugs again and someone dies. The proposed legislation has been rejected at least four times in three years by Democrat-led public safety committees. The constitution amendment process has been used to sidestep these committees. The law is named after Alexandra Capelouto, who died of fentanyl poisoning in 2019.
The proposed law is seen as a no-brainer, common-sense solution and Dixon has challenged legislators to let the voters, rather than politicians, decide the fate of the proposed changes. The aim of the bill is to dissuade many drug dealers from continuing to peddle their poison. The proposed law is designed to be similar to the admonishment given to defendants convicted of driving under the influence. Some legislators worry that the bill will sweep up a lot of dealers who were not aware that their product contained fentanyl. The supporters disagree and argue that they will keep coming back each year until Alexandra’s Law makes it to the ballot.
