June 21, 2023 - Sacramento – Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles) has introduced amendments to Assembly Bill (AB) 1510, creating the Fighting Fentanyl Bond Act of 2024.

In partnership with Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto), Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer is authoring a bond aimed at tackling California's fentanyl crisis by funding research and evidence-based programs that address substance-use disorders while prioritizing education and awareness.

"It's time to unite the fight against fentanyl and abandon the divisive rhetoric that leads nowhere," said the Assemblymember. "I'm proud to work with my colleague and friend, Assemblymember Alanis, to push forward bipartisan legislation that will have a lasting impact on California's response to drug use and overdose."

Working with a team of expert doctors, attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and non-profits that have first-hand experience combatting addiction, drug use, and drug trafficking, the Assemblymembers have identified key programs to fund in order to have the greatest effect on the fentanyl crisis. This includes funding for public health interventions, education and awareness, focused deterrence, violence reduction, and research on emerging drugs such as xylazine.

In stark contrast to outdated policies from the War on Drugs, which over-criminalized low-level drug dealers and individuals with untreated substance use disorder, AB 1510 takes a public health approach to the fentanyl crisis.

By funding programs that expand availability of substance use treatment, preventative services and harm reduction programs, and promote education and awareness around recreational drug use, the Fighting Fentanyl Bond Act prioritizes people over policy and gives individuals struggling with addiction a fighting chance at recovery.

The Fighting Fentanyl Bond Act will appear on the ballot in the 2024 election and present California's voters with a unique opportunity to support solutions to the fentanyl crisis and approve monumental investments in substance use treatment and education.

The Assemblymembers will continue to meet with the stakeholder group to determine the precise funding needed for each program identified in the bond. AB 1510 now awaits referral by the Senate Rules Committee to policy committee.

Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer represents downtown Los Angeles, including Skid Row, Exposition Park-USC, and portions of South Los Angeles. Jones-Sawyer is the Chair of the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee and also serves as a member of the California Reparations Task Force. For more information about Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer, Sr., please visit https://a57.asmdc.org/.
Source: Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer