Lawmakers shoot down a bill aimed to help with the fentanyl crisis

California's State Senate Public Safety Committee blocked a bill on Tuesday that was proposing harsher penalties for people who sold fentanyl.

The bill was called "Alexandra's Law" after a 20-year-old Riverside County woman who died in 2019 from fentanyl poisoning.

The proposed law would have required convicted fentanyl dealers to get a warning from judges. After the warning, if the drugs they dealt resulted in someone's death, they would receive a harsher sentence.

The bill had bipartisan support, however, didn't pass the committee stage because of two democrats who raised questions on how dealers would know or should know, if their drugs contained fentanyl.

Senator Nancy Skinner who represents Oakland said her concern was there wasn't any real evidence this would limit overdose deaths.

However, those in favor of the bill said there is evidence this kind of law would save lives.

Alexandra's Law cannot be voted on again, but similar legislation can still be introduced.