From Reason:
A bill moving through the Tennessee state legislature would reform the state's harsh drug-free school zone laws, which were the subject of a 2017 Reason investigation.
The Tennessee House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill last Wednesday, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Michael Curcio, that would reduce the sizes of the zones. They currently cover the area within 1,000 feet of any school, park, library, or day care; the legislation would reduce that to 500 feet. It would also remove the mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses within the zones and give judges discretion to waive sentencing enhancements in certain circumstances.
Tennessee's laws blanket large swaths of the cities, turning minor drug violations into mandatory sentences that rival—and sometimes exceed—punishments for rape and murder. Continue reading >>>
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