CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Senate President Craig Blair said Monday work continues on drafting a bill that would resurrect the death penalty in the state in order to punish those involved in large scale “illicit manufacture and wholesale distribution of fentanyl.”
“We’re working on getting that drafted,” Blair said during an appearance on Panhandle Live on the Panhandle News Network.
He said the concept is becoming more and more relevant.
“I’m hoping we can see that move through,” Blair said.
There’s support for the bill in Senate Republican Caucus, Blair said.
Blair said some recent cases once again point toward why such a bill is needed.
“Since I spoke about that there’s been two major arrests in the state of West Virginia where people were actually manufacturing pills, counterfeit pills, putting fentanyl in it,” Blair said. “One of those manufacturers would have had enough fentanyl to kill every person in Kanawha County.
The last day to introduce bills in the Senate this session is Feb. 19.