Governor Rick Scott was at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in West Palm Beach on Tuesday.
He held a ceremonial signing of House Bill 477, which creates new penalties and enhances existing penalties relating to opioids, including fentanyl. The governor also held a ceremonial bill signing in Sarasota (above).
Under the new law, which was officially signed last month, anyone who is in possession of 4 grams of the deadly narcotic faces a mandatory minimum of three years.
Drug dealers may face felony murder charges and up to 30 years in prison, if their customers die using fentantyl.
Scott declared a public health emergency in May to fight the epidemic of overdoses in Palm Beach County and around the state. The state was awarded a $54 million federal grant to go towards prevention, treatment and recovery services over the next two years.
A number of local law enforcement agencies report the number of overdose calls increasing during the first half of this year.
The new law goes into effect October 1.
Photo: Gov. Rick Scott's Office