The legislative process is now largely focused on bills that might implement the budget cuts/revenue increases necessary to address a projected SFY 2011 budget deficit. The current activity involves SB 450, which is in the House Finance Committee and on which House Finance will act no later than May 6th and the full House will have to act by May 13th. In its present form, it contains only a very limited reduction to Alcohol and Other Drug prevention and treatment funding ($76,000 out of an annual appropriation of $3.8 M). Proposed amendments to the bill include a provision to strip the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment of its independence and it authority over the disposition of moneys from the Alcohol Fund. Provisions of SB 450 would make the Governor’s Commission advisory to DHHS and give DHHS sole control over the Alcohol Fund. New Futures and the Governor’s Commission are strongly opposed to these provisions of SB 450 and are working actively to have them removed from the bill. 

In addition the following policy bills are still active:

HB 410 would permit appropriately qualified masters prepared licensed alcohol and drug counselors to provide treatment to individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. HB 410 has passed the House and had its public hearing in the Senate ED&A Committee last week. The hearing went well and we are optimistic that the bill will come out of the committee with a recommendation of ought to pass during the week of May 3.  

SB 181 is the legislative vehicle chosen to undo the transfer of the Liquor Commission enforcement bureau to the Department of Safety. This bill has passed the policy committee in the House and is now in the Finance Committee where it has been caught up in the recent events involving the Liquor Commissioners. We are continuing our advocacy to keep the enforcement function within the Liquor Commission.