Friday March 29th, 2024 8:29AM

Gainesville's Collins, co-sponsor of First Step Act, witnesses signing of reform package

By AccessWDUN Staff
When President Donald Trump signed a criminal justice reform package into law Friday, Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville was in the Oval Office to witness the ceremony.
 
Republican Collins, along with Democrat Hakeem Jeffries of New York, introduced the bi-partisan measure on May 7. The measure received overwhelming approval on both the House and Senate.
 
Collins thanked Trump for his support of the First Step Act.
 
"Mr. President, you look at that bill today...and you see lines on a page," Collins said. "Behind those lines are faces. There are faces behind those lines that are now looking up again, they're seeing hope again, they're seeing lives turned around again."
 
Among the provisions on the new federal law: judges will be allowed more discretion when sentencing some drug offenders, prisoner rehabilitation efforts will be enhanced and life prison sentences for some drug offenders would be reduced to 25 years. 
 
Collins said he heard plenty of nay saying when he introduced the measure, people who told him the legislation would never be approved. He called the passage of the First Step Act a "miracle."
  • Associated Categories: Homepage, Local/State News, Politics
  • Associated Tags: Doug Collins, Donald Trump, criminal justice reform , federal legislation , First Step Act, Hakeem Jeffries
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