Daines ensures meth, sex offender provisions included in proposed FIRST STEP Act

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines recently joined 32 of his colleagues as a cosponsor of a bipartisan reform bill to reduce prison recidivism rates after working to ensure the proposal included provisions related to violent methamphetamine dealers and sex offenders.

“Meth use has skyrocketed in Montana,” Sen. Daines said on Dec. 10. “We need to make sure we have every tool available to fight against an epidemic that is tearing families apart and increasing violent crimes in our state.”

The U.S. Senate version of the FIRST STEP Act, S. 3649, was introduced on Nov. 15 by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison, according to the text of the bill.

Provisions in S. 3649 would prohibit the offenders of 48 specific crimes from earning and using so-called good time credits for pre-release custody. Sen. Daines said that due to the increased use of meth in his home state and around the country, he wanted to guarantee that high-level meth dealers were included in the bill as one of the 48 offenders who are prohibited from using and earning those time credits. The senator also got sex offenders included on the list, according to a statement released by his office.

“I’m glad to have worked to ensure high-level meth dealers and sex offenders are excluded from the benefits of the First Step Act to help protect Montana families and communities,” said Sen. Daines. “I’m happy to cosponsor this bill.”

S. 3649, which on Nov. 26 was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar, is that chamber’s version of the same-named H.R. 5682, which the U.S. House of Representatives approved, 360-59, on May 22.

The FIRST STEP Act, which stands for the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act, would reform the criminal justice system via numerous other provisions, including by increasing programs designed to reduce recidivism and prepare offenders to return to their families, their communities and back into the workforce, according to Sen. Daines’ statement.