The Alabama State House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 1 last week, which adds mandatory sentences and strengthens penalties against fentanyl traffickers.

The bill was presented by State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) and had 101 co-sponsors in the House.

Friday on Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) discussed why there is a major need to tackle the fentanyl crisis in the Yellowhammer State.

“We can’t afford not to do anything,” Daniels said. “Right now it’s a problem in all communities. It doesn’t have an income level to the community that’s impacted by this … and this issue has been an issue plaguing our communities across the country, it’s a national, nationwide issue, but I’m very happy that in the state of Alabama we’re deciding to address that issue.”

The Alabama lawmaker said the next step in dealing with the issue will be passing bill that focus on treatments for those who’ve become addicted to the powerful drug.

“I also think that with the opioid settlement dollars there may be an opportunity to really leverage those funds to further focus on addiction and substance abuse,” he said, “and so that’s something that we fully anticipate.”

Daniels said he’s happy with what the House has already been able to accomplish this session, but admitted more work needs to done.

“I think, so far so good,” he said. “Dealing with the fentanyl bill, dealing with the adoption bill making it easier for adoption, focusing on two very important issues … For us. we’re on a great pace and hopefully that continues. I know that we’ll be dealing with the growing Alabama and other things that are certainly other wins for the state of Alabama, and having budgetary conversations about where we are and where we need to be and what investments we need to make.

“It’s going to be a good year, the first half of the year is going to be good.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee