ASHLEY ZAVALA EXPLAINS HOW TRIBAL LEADERS ARE NOW RESPONDING. LAWMAKERS ARE TAKING THESE HEARINGS AWAY FROM THE STATE CAPITOL AND INTO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA TO SEE HOW FENTANYL IS IMPACTING EACH. LAWMAKERS ARE DOING THIS TO HELP DETETERMINE IF PROPOSED NEW LAWS ARE NEEDED OR HOW TO SET ASIDE FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. TRIBAL LEADERS TOLD LAWMAKERS TODAY THAT WHILE THEIR COMMUNITIES HAVE LONG STRUGGLED WITH ADDICTION, FENTANYL HAS BEEN ON A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL AND HAS BEEN DEVASTATING FOR SOME. SOMETIMES YOU BLAME YOURSELF FOR THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL AND AND I ALWAYS THINK IF I HAD WENT UP THERE SOONER. SHANE YET THOUGH STILL SHAKEN BY THE FENTANYL RELATED DEATH OF A YOUNG, YOUNG TRIBAL MEMBER, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE TULLY RIVER TRIBAL COUNCIL RAN A BOYS CLUB TO KEEP THEM OFF OF DRUGS. HE SAID A LACK OF MONEY ENDED THE PROGRAM AND FOUR OF THE CLUB'S 40 BOYS HAVE SINCE DIED FROM OVERDOSE AND TEN ARE ADDICTS WE CALL THEM THE ZOMBIES, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY THERE'S NOTHING WE COULD DO FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY TOOK SO MUCH FENTANYL THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY IN A 5150 STATE OF MIND. TRIBAL LEADERS IN ALPINE TOLD LAWMAKERS FRIDAY THEY NEED MORE RESOURCES TO INTERVENE AS A COMMUNITY AND MORE ACCESS TO REHAB AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES. BUT NOTED SOME ADDICTS DON'T WANT HELP. THOSE WHO DEAL AND USE FENTANYL IN SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES ALSO FACE THE HIGHEST TRIBAL ISSUED FINES. IT IS A CRISIS FOR US. THE SHERIFF OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY SAID HER AGENCY THIS YEAR HAS SEIZED 4 MILLION FENTANYL PILLS AT THE BORDER. SHE SAID THERE'S ALSO AN INCREASE IN CHILD TRAFFICKING TO SMUGGLE THE DRUGS AND SHE NOW INVESTIGATES OVERDOSE DEATHS AS HOMICIDES. ENFORCEMENT WORKS AND I DON'T THINK WE FORGET THAT IN THE EQUATION OF EDUCATION AND HARM REDUCTION. I THINK IT'S A THREE PRONGED TOOL. AND WE NEED TO DO ALL THREE. NIETO WAS HOPING STATE LAWMAKERS WOULD STEP UP ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES THIS YEAR, BUT THEY HAVEN'T. YOU GUYS PUT THESE BILLS TOGETHER, WE WAS WATCHING THEM LIKE LIKE LIKE IT WAS OUR SPORTS TEAM. I MEAN, AND AND AND WHEN THEY DIDN'T PASS, IT WAS IT WAS LIKE DEVASTATING TO US THAT IT DIDN'T PASS. YOU KNOW, IT WAS ACTUALLY DISGUSTING TO ME THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT SEEMS SO GREAT IT DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS THAT GO WITH IT. THE DEMOCRATIC STATE LAWMAKER LEADING THIS CHARGE, ASSEMBLYMAN MATT HANEY, SAID THAT NO LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT IS DOING ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. MEANWHILE, LAWMAKERS IN THE STATE SENATE THIS MONTH ARE EXPECTED TO UNVEIL A SET OF FENTANYL RELATED PROPOSALS. BUT WHAT EXACTLY THAT INCLUDES IS TO BE S SEEN REPORTING
