Oregon governor signs drug re-criminalization bill, reversing voter ballot measure

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed legislation on Monday re-criminalizing the possession of certain drugs roughly three years after the state became the first in the nation to decriminalize the possession and personal use of all drugs, the Democratic governor’s office told CNN.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed legislation on Monday re-criminalizing the possession of certain drugs, roughly three years after the state became the first in the nation to decriminalize the possession and personal use of all drugs, the Democratic governor’s office told CNN. House Bill 4002 – which overwhelmingly cleared both chambers of the state legislature with bipartisan support – reverses portions of Measure 110, a 2020 voter ballot initiative that relaxed certain penalties for drug possession. Under the new law, offenders could face up to six months in jail, or, in place of criminal penalties, elect to undergo drug treatment. The penalties for unlawful drug possession will take effect September 1. In a letter obtained by CNN from the governor to the state’s legislative leaders, Kotek focused on provisions of the law that can prevent jail time for defendants. “House Bill 4002 provides three pathways to avoid incarceration for individuals who possess small amounts of a controlled substance by encouraging pre-arrest deflection, providing conditional discharge upon criminal justice interaction, and pursuing formal probation,” Kotek wrote. She added that a law enforcement focus on options other than incarceration “is one strategy to reduce collateral consequences of justice system involvement and can help mitigate the racial and ethnic disparities this legislation is projected to create.”