The Drug Offenders Reform Act (DORA) would boost funding for substance abuse treatment programs and give judges the option of ordering convicted drug offenders to undergo treatment in lieu of prison time.

"I'm not aware of a bill that has had more hearings than this. And I've never heard a negative word about it," said sponsoring Sen. Chris Buttars. This is the West Jordan Republican's second try at getting the bill passed.

Buttars believes by year's end that DORA will free up as many as 2,000 beds and in the long run save the state "millions of dollars."

But Senate Bill 22 carries a $6.2 million price tag for fiscal 2006, the first installment of a three-year, $16.6 million funding plan.

Legislative fiscal analysts say research indicates that providing screening and treatment to offenders will reduce their reliance on public services and should result in a "marginal" savings for the state.

Senators voted 25-0 to advance the bill toward its final vote in that chamber. Assuming the Senate grants final approval, which is likely, it will move to the House, where it might collide with another bill.

Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, is sponsoring legislation that would impose harsher penalties for some repeat drug offenders. Under House Bill 55, anyone charged with possession who had been convicted previously for unlawful distribution or manufacturing of a controlled substance would be automatically slapped with a "second offense" penalty.

Opponents of the bill say that would mean someone caught selling an ounce of marijuana - a first-degree felony - who is later busted for smoking a joint could be slapped with a second-degree felony, punishable by 1 to 15 years in prison. Possessing small amounts of a drug without the intent to sell typically qualifies as a misdemeanor.