PIERRE, S. D. — A South Dakota senator want to reduce ingesting illegal drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor.
Democratic Sen. Craig Kennedy has filed a bill to change ingestion to a misdemeanor for the first two offenses.
But, it would remain a felony for a third conviction with 10 years.
Kennedy says putting people in prison where drug treatment is limited, if available at all, isn’t a good way to deal with those with a chemical dependency.
The Argus Leader says the bill also creates an incentive for prosecutors to divert people from the criminal justice system into treatment.
