OBENSHAIN METH BILL APPROVED IN SENATE

HARRISONBURG - The Virginia Senate on Friday passed legislation
sponsored by Sen. Mark Obenshain that would stiffen penalties for
the manufacturing, possession, use and distribution of methamphetamine.

The Harrisonburg Republican said he introduced the legislation to
bring penalties for meth in line with those for cocaine.

Over on the House of Delegates' side of the General Assembly, the
Courts of Justice Committee passed an identical bill introduced by
Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock.

Gilbert's bill now goes to the House Appropriations Committee.

Mandatory Time

The meth bills promise a minimum sentence of three years for
offenses involving 28 grams - the equivalent of one ounce - or more.
Offenses involving 227 grams or more would require a minimum of five
years in prison, according to the proposed legislation.

Additionally, such sentences could not be served concurrently with
sentences for other offenses, according to the bills.

Meth, Coke Seizures Vary

Methamphetamine has been a problem in the Central Valley for years,
but recently passed laws designed to cut back on the manufacturing
of the drug has helped, officials say.

The bills sponsored by Obenshain and Gilbert aim to build on that
progress, lawmakers and law-enforcement officials say.

Recently released statistics by the RUSH Drug Task Force show a
reduction in the amount of meth seized between 2006 and 2007,
although it's not clear whether the new laws or other factors
accounted for the reduced amounts.

In 2007, the task force seized 8.1 pounds of meth in Harrisonburg
and Rockingham County, compared to 13.5 pounds of meth the previous
year, according to RUSH officials.

The amount of cocaine and crack seized by the task force rose in the
past two years, the task force reported.

In 2007, RUSH operatives seized 1.3 pounds of cocaine and the same
amount of crack, according to task force statistics.

In 2006, the task force seized a little more than 1 pound of cocaine
and less than a pound of crack, according to RUSH figures.