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March 12, 2010

Senate Panel OKs Weakened Drug Sentencing Proposal
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In other news from Washington, the Senate Judiciary Committee has
advanced a bill that would change cocaine sentencing laws. The initial
proposal called for completely eliminating the discriminatory 100-to-1
disparity between sentencing for crack and powder cocaine. But in a bid
to win Republican support, Democrats agreed to weaken the proposal and
reduce the ratio to 20-to-1. Drug reform advocates have criticized the
move. Jennifer Bellamy of the American Civil Liberties Union said,
“There is no justification for this remaining sentencing gap. This
legislation is long overdue, but it does not go far enough.”



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