Legis Daily

SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act

USA118th CongressS-522| Senate 
| Updated: 2/16/2023
Chuck Grassley

Chuck Grassley

Republican Senator

Iowa

Cosponsors (3)
Mike Lee (Republican)Lindsey Graham (Republican)Roger F. Wicker (Republican)

Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Start Making Adjustments and Require Transparency in Cocaine Sentencing Act or the SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act This bill reduces the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill reduces the federal sentencing disparity by altering the threshold amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine that trigger statutory criminal penalties. Specifically, the bill increases the threshold amounts of crack cocaine (e.g., from 28 to 160 grams) and decreases the threshold amounts of powder cocaine (e.g., from 500 to 400 grams) that trigger statutory criminal penalties. The changes may apply retroactively, but only if the Department of Justice (DOJ) certifies that the sentence of a defendant should be reduced. The bill requires DOJ to review and report on various data related to crack cocaine and powder cocaine, including individual dosage amounts, addictiveness, and associated violence. Additionally, the U.S. Sentencing Commission must report publicly on cocaine offenses and offenders, including trends in cocaine trafficking patterns, price, and use; the interaction of state penalties with federal prosecutorial decisions; and federal case law developments related to federal cocaine sentencing.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-4116
SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act
Feb 16, 2023
Introduced in Senate
Feb 16, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-4116
    SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act


  • February 16, 2023
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 16, 2023
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Crime and Law Enforcement

SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act

USA118th CongressS-522| Senate 
| Updated: 2/16/2023
Start Making Adjustments and Require Transparency in Cocaine Sentencing Act or the SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act This bill reduces the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill reduces the federal sentencing disparity by altering the threshold amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine that trigger statutory criminal penalties. Specifically, the bill increases the threshold amounts of crack cocaine (e.g., from 28 to 160 grams) and decreases the threshold amounts of powder cocaine (e.g., from 500 to 400 grams) that trigger statutory criminal penalties. The changes may apply retroactively, but only if the Department of Justice (DOJ) certifies that the sentence of a defendant should be reduced. The bill requires DOJ to review and report on various data related to crack cocaine and powder cocaine, including individual dosage amounts, addictiveness, and associated violence. Additionally, the U.S. Sentencing Commission must report publicly on cocaine offenses and offenders, including trends in cocaine trafficking patterns, price, and use; the interaction of state penalties with federal prosecutorial decisions; and federal case law developments related to federal cocaine sentencing.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-4116
SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act
Feb 16, 2023
Introduced in Senate
Feb 16, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-4116
    SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act


  • February 16, 2023
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 16, 2023
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Chuck Grassley

Chuck Grassley

Republican Senator

Iowa

Cosponsors (3)
Mike Lee (Republican)Lindsey Graham (Republican)Roger F. Wicker (Republican)

Judiciary Committee

Crime and Law Enforcement

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted