HELP Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3883
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Reed, Tom [R-NY-23]
Introduced: 2017-09-28
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing

Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Latest action: action_date: 2017-10-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-09-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Help Ensure Lives are Protected Act of 2017 or the HELP Act of </b><b>2017</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act to impose a criminal penalty of life imprisonment or death on a person who commits a drug offense involving a specified quantity of heroin that contains a detectable amount of fentanyl or fentanyl that is represented to be or sold as heroin, if death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3883 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 28, 2017 Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Chabot ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To provide for enhanced penalties for certain offenses relating to controlled substances containing fentanyl, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Help Ensure Lives are Protected Act of 2017 or the HELP Act of 2017 . 2. Enhanced penalties for certain offenses relating to controlled substances containing fentanyl (a) Controlled substances act amendments Section 401(b) of the Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 841(b) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (8) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin also contains a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide, and if death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. (9) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide was represented to be or sold as heroin, and if death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. . (b) Controlled substances Import and Export Act amendments Section 1010(b) of the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act ( 21 U.S.C. 960(b) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (8) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin also contains a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide, and if death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. (9) In the case of a violation of subsection (a) involving a mixture or substance in an amount of 100 grams or more, if the mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide or any analogue of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide was represented to be or sold as heroin, and if death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance, such person shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. .