FRANKFORT, Ky. — Those convicted of trafficking or importing fentanyl could soon find themselves facing much longer prison sentences, under a bill being considered in the Kentucky General Assembly.

Rep. Chris Fugate, of Perry County, who is a retired state trooper, has introduced Dalton’s Law, which would toughen sentence for those trafficking fentanyl and its derivatives.

The bill would make importing fentanyl a Class C felony, punishable by 5-to-10 years in prison. It would also make those convicted of importing or trafficking more than one gram of fentanyl ineligible for pretrial diversion. Finally, anyone convicted of trafficking or importing fentanyl would be ineligible for parole until serving at least 85 percent of their sentence, rather than the standard 50 percent.

Fentanyl is powerful synthetic opioid that is believed to be largely responsible for a 56 percent increase in drug overdoses since last year. Officials say 71 percent of that increase is due to fentanyl.

“With something this dangerous, there have to be consequences for those who traffic in these substances and put them into our cities,” said Rep. Fugate. “There are dangers to not only the users but also innocent bystanders, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and police officers who respond to the scenes of drug overdoses. It must be prosecuted to the fullest extent, and House Bill 215 does just that.”

The bill is named for 22-year-old Dalton Bishop, who died of a fentanyl overdose. His parents addressed the House Judiciary Committee to urge the bill’s passage.

“One of the scariest things to me is that these dealers are bonded out of jail within 24 hours of their arrest, just to begin this all over again,” Bishop’s mother, Rita Bishop, told committee members.