Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says she supports a new bill which would allow courts to sentence certain drug dealers to life in prison for causing an overdose death.

Sanders made the announcement Friday alongside Attorney General Tim Griffin and Senate Bill 283's Republican co-sponsors, Sen. Ben Gilmore, R-Crossett, and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould. The governor said the enhanced sentences are necessary due to a nationwide spike in drug overdoses brought on largely by the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

“Arkansas will charge drug dealers with murder if they deliver drugs that cause an overdose. For the most heinous drug dealers, those who traffic fentanyl to children, we will charge them with life in prison. And for anyone caught trafficking fentanyl… Arkansas will put you in jail for 25 to 60 years and impose a mandatory $1 million fine,” Sanders said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-02-17/sanders-endorses-enhanced-penalties-for-drug-dealers-traffickers