What's happening
Laree's Law creates a new crime making it a class A-I felony to sell or transport opiates that cause someone's death.
Why it matters
Targets the supply side of the opioid crisis. by holding drug dealers criminally liable for deaths caused by the opiates they sell or transport, potentially deterring illicit distribution and increasing the stakes for traffickers.
Expands the definition of criminal liability. to include not just sellers, but also those who transport opiates between counties or import them into New York, addressing trafficking routes and networks.
Includes a narrow exception for shared use. individuals who acquire and use the drug jointly with the deceased (e.g., two users sharing together) are not subject to this homicide charge, which seeks to avoid criminalizing users who are not acting as dealers.
Introduces severe penalties. by making this a class A-I felony—the highest level short of murder—meaning those convicted could face decades in prison, signaling a strong policy stance against opioid distribution resulting in death.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Charge Dealers for Overdose Deaths
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
15 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Charge Dealers for Opioid Deaths
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor George Amedore
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3398
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. DenDEKKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to enacting "Laree's law"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Laree's law".
§ 2. Section 220.00 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 21 to read as follows:
21. "Opiate controlled substance" means any substance listed in schedule I, II, III, IV or V of section thirty-three hundred six of the public health law that is classified as either an opiate or opium derivative under such law.
§ 3. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 125.24 to read as follows: § 125.24 Homicide by sale of an opiate controlled substance.
A person is guilty of homicide by sale of an opiate controlled substance when he or she unlawfully transports by importing into the state or transporting within the state from one county into another, or unlawfully sells as defined by subdivision one of section 220.00 of this chapter, an opiate controlled substance as defined by subdivision twenty-one of section 220.00 of this chapter, and such opiate controlled substance causes the death of another person.
It shall be a defense to homicide by sale of an opiate controlled substance that the defendant jointly and simultaneously acquired and possessed such opiate controlled substance for joint use with the deceased, with the intent to jointly inject, inhale or otherwise ingest such opiate controlled substance.
Homicide by sale of an opiate controlled substance is a class A-I felony.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03803-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.