BILL STRENGTHENS PENALTIES AGAINST METH PRODUCERS

A proposal to beef up criminal penalties against methamphetamine producers
sailed through the Illinois House on Thursday.

The 113-0 vote sends House Bill 978 to the Senate. Intended as a way to
protect firefighters, police and other public-safety workers, the
legislation would allow courts to impose longer prison sentences on illegal
drug manufacturers when their offenses lead to the injury or death of
emergency personnel.

"Meth is what we're going after," said Rep. Donald Moffitt, R-Gilson, who
sponsored the legislation. Meth labs pose a particular danger to emergency
workers, because toxic chemicals are used to produce the illegal drug and
because the process of "cooking" meth can result in fire or explosion.

For the bill to become law, the Senate and the governor still must approve
it. If it becomes law, courts could impose a prison sentence of 12 to 120
years if someone were convicted of manufacturing meth and if that offense
caused death or injury to an emergency worker. At present, that offender
would face a possible prison sentence of six to 60 years.