Columbus, OH – On Tuesday, Robert Alt, president and chief executive officer of The Buckeye Institute, issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 3, which will make Ohio’s drug sentencing laws more effective, flexible, and just.

“The Buckeye Institute strongly commends the Ohio Senate for its leadership in addressing the drug crisis head on. The sentencing reforms contained in Ohio Senate Bill 3 directly reflect recommendations The Buckeye Institute has long advocated. Reclassifying low-level drug possession crimes from felonies to misdemeanors ensures that judges have the flexibility to administer justice while steering those suffering from addiction into treatment instead of prison cells. These commonsense policy reforms are effective, will save taxpayer money—especially needed with the projected budget shortfalls—and keep our communities safer.”

The Buckeye Institute is a leader on drug sentencing reform in Ohio and nationwide. Buckeye’s experts testified and provided extensive research concerning the policies in Senate Bill 3 in continuing efforts to increase public safety, promote justice, reduce the state’s prison population and taxpayer obligations, and ensure those caught in the cycle of addiction are treated fairly.

# # #