Fentanyl trafficking bill moves forward out of House committee

Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, identified a bill by Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, as one o this top priorities to pass in his first year as speaker. 

That bill is one step closer to passage after gaining bipartisan support in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

The bill creates a mandatory minimum sentence of three years for possession of one to two grams,  10 years for possession between two and four grams, 25 years for possession of four to eight grams and life in prison for possession of more than eight grams.

Simpson said his goals with the bill are to raise awareness of the deadliness of fentanyl and to send a message to dealers that the state takes trafficking in fentanyl very seriously.

“If you’re dealing fentanyl in our community, in our state, we’re going to come after you,” Simpson said. “There’s going to be teeth to the law and you’re going to do some time in prison.”

Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, who is…