Featured Update
Senate Bill 651 Introduced February 14th in the Texas Legislature and referred to Business and Commerce. If passed, the bill would bar licensing boards from acting against professional license holders who do not comply with standards under religious objection. The bill is broadly written and opens the door for widespread discrimination against LGBTQ people across professions, mental health and other health services included. Similar to recent legislature in Tennessee, SB 651 would allow therapists to turn away LGBTQ clients for religious reasons, violating the ACA Code of Ethics, and causing unforeseeable harm to LGBTQ people. More information available at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=SB651 Federal H.R. 64: Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2017 Sponsor: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX18) This bill amends the federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons to release early an offender who has completed at least half of his or her prison sentence if such offender has: (1) attained age 45, (2) committed no violent offenses, and (3) received no institutional disciplinary violations. The nonviolent offender status required as part of this bill would affect many including those with substance abuse charges. This bill does not require any release into any particular programs. H.R. 982: To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for payments to States for substance abuse services furnished to inmates in public institutions, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Michael Turner [R-OH10] Introduced February 7, 2017, this bill was just newly introduced and so additional details are not available yet but certainly one to be watched! H.R. 472: Safe Recovery and Community Empowerment Act Introduced on January 12, 2017 Sponsor: Rep. Darrell Isssa (R-CA-49) This bill is designed to amend the Fair Housing Act to authorize local, state or federal government bodies to limit the number of residential recovery facilities within a particular housing area. It would also require the facility to obtain an operating license or permit or satisfy a set of consumer protection standards. State North Carolina S.B. 3: Outlines process by which a person’s driver’s license may be revoked if they were involuntarily hospitalized due to a substance use disorder. Florida S.B. 558 & H.B. 861: Outlines required medical response to unintentional overdose, including SBIRT, (Continued on page 15) 15 reporting to person’s doctors and family members, and circumstances in which the individual is exempt from legal charges. S.B. 634 & H.B. 535: Expands Baker Act (involuntary hospitalization) authority to ARNPs & physician assistants. H.B. 2641: Authorizes funding for a peer-based opioid addiction recovery program in Manatee County. Pennsylvania S.B. 121: Outlines the development of a Dept. of Corrections “Addicted Offender” program. S.B. 134: Proposes up to $20,000 of student loan forgiveness for substance abuse/mental health counselors who meet eligibility criteria. H.B. 384: Outlines criteria for involuntary addiction treatment. Virginia H.B. 1845: Outlines program guidelines and model for addiction treatment programs in jails. H.B. 2161: Proposes workgroup to develop training standards for opioid prescribers. Ohio S.B. 1: Revises drug laws to include fentanyl and related substances. H.B. 4: Updates cocaine trafficking laws S.B. 4: Outlines criteria for criminal record expungement if person was victim of human trafficking. Texas H.B. 1218: Outlines alternative sentencing programs for persons charged with prostitution. New Jersey S.B. 3: Mandates that health insurance cover substance use disorder treatment. Also provides restrictions for the prescription of opioids and established continuing education guidelines. Michigan S.B. 8: Mandates the use of evidence-based supervision practices in probation and parole. S.B. 11: Creates criminal justice data collection system and related program. Georgia S.R. 18/ H.R. 31: Establishes January 12th as “Addiction Recovery Awareness Day” S.B. 4: Establishes Georgia Mental Health Treatment Task Force S.B. 81: New regulations for the distribution and use of Naloxone and other opioid antagonists Colorado S.B. 74: Established pilot programs for MAT throughout the state S.B. 82: Changes in regulations for methadone programs S.B. 19: Outlines requirements for medication access for mentally ill offenders S.B. 81: Allows judicial sentencing discretion in sex offender cases
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
What we are working on...Current projects and updates from the Legislative & Advocacy Committee ArchivesCategories |