Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 768 into law, which would increase criminal penalties for manufacturing and distributing fentanyl in Texas.
Under the legislation, the punishment for the manufacture or delivery of 4-200 grams of fentanyl is a minimum of ten years to a maximum of life in prison. The minimum sentence increases to 15 years for an amount of 200-400 grams and 20 years for an amount of over 400 grams.
This year, the Texas Department of Public Safety has seized enough fentanyl to kill every person in Texas and California combined — a 950% increase compared to last year. A majority of fentanyl is entering the state of Texas through the southern border.
"We have a duty to fight back against the scourge that is fentanyl in our communities, which is why I proudly signed Senate Bill 768 into law. The Biden Administration's open border policies have opened the floodgates for this deadly drug to make its way into our communities, but we are taking action to stop this epidemic. By cracking down on the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl, we will help save lives here in Texas and across America."
- Gov. Greg Abbott
