Florida Supreme Court to Review Drug Treatment Plan

The Florida Supreme Court will review a proposal to amend the state constitution to allow judges to send first- and second-time drug offenders to treatment instead of jail, the AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. The Florida Campaign for New Drug Policies, the group sponsoring the plan, is attempting to place the amendment on the November 2002 ballot. The proposed amendment, modeled after California's Proposition 36, would allow first- and second-time drug offenders to receive treatment rather than jail. Those offenders charged with selling drugs or additional charges consisting of violent crimes, drunken driving, theft and other "serious" crimes would be "barred" from the treatment option. The campaign has collected 10% of the necessary 500,000 signatures, prompting the review by the state Supreme Court. The Sun-Sentinel reports that supporters must demonstrate to the court that the proposal "deals with only one subject and is fairly summarized on the ballot" (AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 9/16).