California bill cracking down on fentanyl dealers won't be heard by Assembly committee

Central Valley mom Pamela Smith received some upsetting news this week. She was set to head to Sacramento to share the story of her son who died of fentanyl poisoning in 2016 in front of the Assembly Public Safety Committee but found out at the last minute her testimony wouldn’t be needed. “To say the least I was extremely disappointed,” said Smith. “I find it outrageous.” Assemblymember Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, had requested Smith’s presence at the state Capitol to serve as a voice in support of AB-1058, a bill that would have increased penalties for fentanyl dealers. The public safety committee, however, admitted that is something it refuses to do, according to Patterson. “We were prepared to make this case to those on the public safety committee, but they chose not to hear,” Patterson said. Committee chair Reginald Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, made a decision not to hear the bill in committee, much to the upset of Patterson and the bill’s supporters. KCRA 3's Melanie Wingo reports.