Legislation that will stiffen penalties for those convicted of selling marijuana or other illicit drugs within 1,000 feet of a place of religious worship will take effect in 1997 under a measure signed by Gov. Jim Edgar.
“This legislation takes our efforts to take drug dealers off the street a step further by creating another safe zone where those dealers know they will pay an even bigger price for their crimes,” Edgar said.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. John Jones (R-Mount Vernon) and Sen. William O’Daniel (D-Mount Vernon), increases the penalty by one level for selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a place of religious worship. The legislation is similar to current laws providing enhanced penalties for those convicted of selling drugs on the grounds of schools, public parks, and public housing, or within 1,000 feet of them.