a.      2009 Legislative Session

Work in study committees and on retained bills from the 2009 session is in full swing with most committees scheduled to complete their work by November 1, 2009. New Futures is actively working on the following bills. Upcoming committee meeting dates are given below – but it is best to check House and Senate calendars to verify details if you plan to attend.

HB 410 (relative to the licensure of drug and alcohol counselors). We are focused on assisting the committee to reach a solution that would permit appropriately qualified MLADCs (Masters level Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors) to provide treatment to individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders and mental illnesses. HB 410 was retained in the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee and assigned to its Licensing Subcommittee. The next meeting of the Subcommittee is on October 13^th from 10:00 AM to Noon, at which it will consider possible amendments to HB 410.  

HB 2 Study Committee to examine the organizational structure of the Liquor Commission. Our interest here is that the Liquor Commission Bureau of Enforcement and Licensing should remain within the Commission and not be transferred to the Department of Safety. The Study Committee is chaired by Senator Hassan and members include Senator Gallus and Representatives Eaton, Butynski, and Hess. Its next meeting is on October 8^th at 1:30 PM. The Study Committee has tentatively scheduled time at its meeting on October 22^nd to hear from community members and advocates.

The House filing period for 2010 legislation closed on September 25^th. Based upon information from the Office of Legislative Services, approximately 650 Legislative Service Requests (LSRs) were received during the filing period. The LSR List  includes only the bill title and prime sponsor. We keep an eye on the List in order to identify bills of interest as early as possible. We believe the filing period for the introduction of Senate bills will be one week at the end of October or early November. 

Because of its potential impact on access to treatment for substance use disorders, we are keeping abreast of developments with regard to federal health reform. As of the date of this update, all five health care reform bills making their way through the United States Congress (three bills in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate) contain provisions that provide parity for substance use disorder and mental health treatment. We anticipate that there will be the opportunity for advocacy with our federal congressional delegation as the debate continues in Washington.

 

For more information about legislative issues, please contact Tricia Lucas at 225-9540.