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Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) is proud to announce that SB 432 has cleared its first legislative hurdle, passing through the Senate Public Safety Committee with bipartisan support. The bill would classify furnishing fentanyl to a minor as a serious felony, making offenders ineligible for plea bargaining or probation, and subject to a five-year sentence enhancement.
With fentanyl involved in 80% of drug-induced deaths among 14- to 23-year-olds in 2021, the urgency to address this crisis is clear. DEA testing in 2024 found that half of seized counterfeit pills contained a lethal dose of fentanyl, further underscoring the threat to school-aged children.
“By now, we’re all aware of the devastating impact fentanyl is having across California, often taking the lives of people who had no idea they were consuming it,” said Senator Seyarto. “SB 432 sends a strong message: if you knowingly give fentanyl to a child, you will be held responsible.”
Originally, SB 432 aimed to make this crime a strike offense under California’s three strikes law. However, committee amendments downgraded it to a serious felony, meaning it carries a lesser penalty than similar crimes involving heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine.
Despite this compromise, Seyarto remains committed to protecting Californians from fentanyl. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process.