House Bill 1115

Background: House Bill 1115 would revise a provision related to unauthorized possession of a controlled drug or substance.

Our Stance: The ACLU of South Dakota opposes House Bill 1115.

This bill would reinstate felony penalties for ingestion of a controlled substance. Though drug use is undoubtedly a serious issue, we can’t incarcerate our way out of addiction. The enormous amount of money South Dakota spends on incarcerating people for drug-related offenses is disproportionate and causes more harm than good to individuals struggling with addiction, their families and their communities.