South Dakota moving toward reduced penalties for drug ingestion

Lawmakers debate merits of charging felonies over misdemeanors for violations of law

PIERRE — The number of felonies charged against people in the South Dakota court system who test positive for illegal drugs could soon be dropping.

The South Dakota House Judiciary Committee voted 10-3 Wednesday to send a bill reducing penalties for drug ingestion to the floor without recommendation, following contested testimony from both sides of the issue.

Senate Bill 83 would change ingestion of controlled substances from a felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor for first and second offenses, with a third offense within ten years becoming a Class 6 felony.

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