This is the third year the Idaho Legislature has contemplated bringing much overdue sentencing reform to Idaho’s draconian drug sentencing laws, especially as the state experiences rampant prison and jail overcrowding. HB 99 would restore judicial discretion and reduce the power prosecutors currently hold over sentencing. Mandatory minimums needlessly increase costs without improving public safety and continue to perpetuate the failures of the War on Drugs. The bill would strike mandatory sentences for certain trafficking penalties, allowing judges to individualize sentences based on one’s background, previous criminal history, and likely success for rehabilitation, instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. This bill will also restore prosecutorial transparency and allow Idaho to continue moving forward in advancing smart criminal justice reform.
