S. IDAHO LAWMAKER PLANS TO PUSH METH-MOMS BILL

A state senator from southern Idaho intends to try again to pass a
law making it a felony for pregnant women to use methamphetamine or
other illegal drugs.

Last year, Sen. Denton Darrington, R-Delco, got the bill through the
Senate but couldn't get it heard in the House. Under the bill, a
pregnant woman convicted of using meth, marijuana, LSD or other drugs
would have faced up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

"I'm still feeling my way on it," Darrington told the Idaho State
Journal. "The alternative seems to be to do nothing, and it seems
like that's what (the House of Representatives) wants to do."

A provision in the bill would have allowed women to take part in the
state's drug-court system, which tries to help drug users who commit
crimes to stop using drugs and begin productive lives.

However, pediatricians were against the bill because they thought it
would lead to less prenatal care and more abortions.

To try and satisfy some of those concerns, Darrington said he plans
to meet with Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, who is chairman of the
House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do," Darrington said. "I don't
know how much I can change it."

Darrington said he and Clark also want to formalize the Office of
Drug Control Policy, which was created by former Gov. Jim Risch last
summer. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has appointed Debbie Field to head
the office, a position being referred to as "drug czar."

"(The legislation) doesn't use the word drug czar, but that's what
we're going to call her," Darrington said.

The number of meth labs busted in Idaho dropped to 21 in 2005 from
131 in 2001. But authorities say methamphetamine is mostly being
imported into the state from Mexico.