A bipartisan bill in the California Legislature that would have allowed prosecutors to charge fentanyl dealers with murder if someone dies as a result of them ingesting a drug they sold, failed to pass in the Senate Public Safety Committee March 28.
Senate Bill 44, introduced last month by Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), would have required drug dealers, following an offense related to fentanyl, to be notified that if they sell it again and someone dies from taking it, they could be charged with murder or voluntary manslaughter.
“That doesn’t mean that the fight is over. It just means that once again we have another challenge in front of us,” Umberg said at a press conference following the vote. “At this point, I’m somewhat stunned. I’m obviously disappointed, but I’m committed to working on this issue.”…