PAROLE ELIGIBILITY MEASURE REJECTED IN CLOSE VOTE

ANNAPOLIS -- A measure to allow twice-convicted drug dealers the
possibility of parole instead of a mandatory 10-year sentence was
rejected today in the House by one vote, but its sponsor said he was
hopeful the legislation could be reconsidered and supported.

The bill, which fell short of approval on a 68-69 vote, would have
made a drug dealer convicted for the second time eligible for parole
after about five years.

Del. Curt Anderson, the bill's sponsor, said the idea behind the
measure was to help get people who sold drugs to support their own
habits out of prison and into drug treatment.

"More drug treatment means less drug use. Less drug use means less
drug dealers," said Anderson, a Baltimore Democrat. "It's a simple
fight to me."

But the measure ran into stiff resistance from lawmakers who
emphasized that the bill focused on drug traffickers, not just people
who used drugs. Opponents argued it was a mistake to go easier on
drug dealers who are preying on Maryland children to support their habits.

Republican Del. Pat McDonough of Baltimore County said the measure
creates loopholes for drug dealers in a state that suffers from
"early release mania." He said Maryland residents would be offended
by the policy.

"I don't think there is one person in this chamber when they were
campaigning and knocked on doors where someone said: 'Hey, listen.
You've got to get these drug dealers out of jail earlier. You know,
we need to get these people back on the streets.' I don't think so,"
McDonough said.

Its supporters said the bill focused only on petty drug dealers, not
career distributors.

Anderson said residents, particularly in badly drug-troubled
Baltimore city and Prince George's County, are asking lawmakers to
come up with more creative responses to drug dealing problems than
throwing people in jail for 10 years.

"For the last 40 years, we've tried to incarcerate our way out of the
problem and it really hasn't worked," Anderson said.

The bill would not have applied to violent offenders. Initially, it
would have applied to drug dealers with as many as four convictions,
but the measure was amended to only apply to second-time offenders.

Four lawmakers were absent for the vote, and Anderson held out hope
that he could persuade some delegates who opposed the bill to change
their minds. Anderson said he was considering asking later today or
on Saturday for the House to reconsider the bill. It would take a
majority vote to bring the bill back for another vote.