MADISON, Wis. — Legislation authored by Senator Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) to increase penalties for drug dealing near a homeless shelter received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety at the State Capitol on Wednesday.
Current law already provides a penalty enhancement for those convicted of dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of various locations. The most prominent example are schools—most people are familiar with drug-free school zones, but the penalty enhancement also applies to parks, jails, multi-family housing projects, public swimming pools, a youth or community center, or the premises of a treatment facility that provides alcohol and other drug abuse treatment.
Senate Bill 610 simply extends the same policy to homeless shelters. Specifically, the bill provides that if a person delivers or intends to deliver controlled substances on the premises of a homeless shelter or within 1,000 feet of it, the maximum penalty may be increased by five years, consistent with existing penalty enhancers for all those other comparable locations.
“Homeless shelters serve some of the most vulnerable Wisconsinites including men, women, and children who rely on these facilities for safety, stability, and a path toward recovery or independence. Unfortunately, shelters can become prime targets for drug dealers seeking to prey on that perceived vulnerability,” Hutton said.
“Homeless citizens deserve the same safety and protection from illegal drug activity as those near schools or community centers. This straightforward legislation strengthens our commitment to safeguarding all Wisconsinites, particularly those in their darkest moment and living in a shelter, by deterring drug trafficking in and around the facilities that are working heroically to help them get back on their feet,” Hutton said.
