Governor Sonny Perdue Praises the Passage of Methamphetamine Legislation to Protect Georgia's Communities

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement regarding legislation that stiffens criminal penalties for the manufacture, transfer and possession of methamphetamine and criminalizes the transport of materials used in its illegal manufacture:

"Methamphetamine abuse has gone unchecked for too long in our state. When I add my signature to this important public safety legislation, the state of Georgia will send a clear message to those engaged in methamphetamine production, distribution and possession. Compromising the well-being of Georgia families and children will not be tolerated.

"This legislation will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law for a healthier and safer Georgia. I extend thanks to my floor leaders for introducing this bill, the legislature for their bipartisan support, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for their expert assistance in developing this important legislation."

The original bill was jointly authored by Georgia State Senators Daniel Lee (R - LaGrange) and Bill Stephens (R - Canton), the Governor's floor leaders. Senate Bill 205 received favorable reports from the Senate's Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee and the House's Special Judiciary Committee.

As passed by Georgia's legislators, Senate Bill 205 will:

• Make it a felony offense to steal anhydrous ammonia (a substance commonly used in the production of methamphetamine);
• Create the felony offense of possessing anhydrous ammonia with knowledge that it will be used unlawfully to manufacture a controlled substance;
• Prohibit the possession and transport of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container;
• Make it a felony offense to possess any product that contains ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine in an amount that exceeds 300 pills, tablets, capsules or other individual units or more than 9 grams of these substances, whichever is smaller;
• Create the felony offense of possessing any amount of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine with the intent of producing methamphetamine;
• Create a felony offense to possess, manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, purchase, sell or possess with intent to distribute any substance containing any amounts of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine which have been altered from their original form to a powdered, liquefied or crushed form; and
• Provide stiffer penalties for trafficking methamphetamine.