RI lawmakers to hear bill decriminalizing possession of hard drugs

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Some lawmakers in Rhode Island are looking to decriminalize possessing small amounts of hard drugs in the state. The House Judiciary Committee is set to hear testimony on Thursday about the legislation. In 2021, Gov. Dan McKee signed off on a bill that reclassified possession of small amounts of hard drugs — like heroin, cocaine and fentanyl — down to misdemeanors. The effort was to help treat people with drug addictions and not prosecute them. However, a misdemeanor is still a criminal offense. The bill, sponsored...