STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – The Arizona House of Representatives has unanimously passed HB2720, sponsored by State Representative Leo Biasiucci, to eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Arizona’s legal code. The bill now heads to the Senate and aims to correct an outdated statute that has disproportionately impacted low-income communities for decades.

“For too long, Arizona’s laws have imposed an unjust sentencing disparity on two chemically identical substances,” said Representative Biasiucci. “HB2720 ensures our justice system is guided by facts and fairness, not outdated policies from nearly 40 years ago. It’s time for Arizona to align with the federal government and the majority of states that have already fixed this inequity.”

The 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, authored by then-U.S. Senator Joe Biden, created a 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine at the federal level—an inequity that many states, including Arizona, adopted. While reforms have since reduced that gap, Arizona remains one of only six states that have yet to update its laws to reflect modern sentencing standards.

HB2720 consolidates the threshold amount for cocaine base and hydrolyzed cocaine with the nine-gram threshold already established for powder cocaine. This change eliminates the outdated 750-milligram threshold for crack cocaine, a policy widely criticized for disproportionately targeting lower-income offenders without scientific justification.

The bill aligns with the House Republican Majority Plan’s commitment to public safety by ensuring Arizona’s criminal justice policies reflect equal treatment under the law. By eliminating this sentencing disparity, HB2720 promotes fairness while enabling law enforcement to focus on the most serious drug offenses.

“This is about being smart on crime,” Representative Biasiucci added. “Punishment should fit the crime, and our laws shouldn’t unfairly penalize one group over another for the same offense.”

The bill has garnered strong support from criminal justice reform advocates, legal professionals, and law enforcement officials.

Leo Biasiucci is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 30 and is Chairman of the House Transportation Committee. Follow him on X at @Leo4AzHouse.