PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — Oregon’s legislature is now in session and one of the first items under the magnifying glass is considering the future of Oregon’s controversial Measure 110. Both sides came out in full force in Salem Wednesday evening to make their cases heard by lawmakers.
It was a room divided as lawmakers heard from dozens of Oregonians weighing in on the future of the voter-approved Measure 110. One proposal, House Bill 4002, would repeal the law that decriminalized small amounts of hard drugs and go from the current Class E violation to a Class C misdemeanor with potential jail time, rather than a possible fine.
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Some who testified on its behalf came from law enforcement, talking about their own experiences like responding to overdose calls.
“We stood so silent that we could’ve heard a pin drop. A 15-year-old life passed through our fingers right there,” police officer Erin Anderson said.
Others spoke to the impact of fentanyl across the state as it has become more prevalent than when Measure 110 was first passed.