SENATE SHOULD ADVANCE DRUG-FIGHTING MEASURE

The Missouri Senate has before it a measure that will curtail the use of illegal drugs in this state. The package has been kicked around by the General Assembly for the last two sessions without resolution. Now is the time for its passage. The Senate should act this week to advance this important legislation.

In his State of the State message on Jan. 15, Gov. John Ashcroft challenged lawmakers to enact tough drug-control laws by Feb. 27. Ashcroft, the speaker of the House and the president pro-tem of the Senate have all agreed on a need to give special attention to drug enforcement items that each chamber previously has approved twice.

Feb. 27 has come and gone. The Senate might be excused for being sidetracked in its efforts, since the gas tax debate intervened. That dispensed with, the Senate should now get on with its drug-fighting work. We regard it as no less pressing an issue. The governor's sensitivity to this is understandable: in 1990 and 1991, his anti-drug initiatives seemed to have legislative support, winning approval at various stages of consideration and in both chambers twice. Still, the measure was caught in a time crunch both years and failed to reach the governor's desk.

Ashcroft is right: "This is too important an issue for anyone merely to get an `A for effort,'" he told the legislators. Though the governor's desired deadline has passed, the Senate should not give up.

Among other things, Ashcroft's drug-control strategy includes:

Mandatory suspension of driving privileges for convicted drug offenders.

Provisions to make second and subsequent marijuana possession convictions punishable as felonies.

Revocation of professional licenses of drug users at the time of a felony conviction.

Cancellation of state-funded scholarships for persons convicted of a drug crime.

A clause giving the Missouri Highway Patrol the same search and seizure powers as other state law enforcement officers.

Allowance of crime laboratory workers to provide expert testimony through signed certificates rather than trial appearance.

Other components spelling out stiffer penalties for those who launder money or participate in criminal street gangs.

When debate ended on this package Thursday, senators seemed bogged down in minor disagreements, with few substantive matters at issue. Most of these provisions have been debated before. Passage of the measure is within reach.

Sen. John Dennis of Benton, a long-time sheriff in this part of the state, has been supportive of the measure. Other senators should follow his example and not let time run out on this legislation again.