CLRD 2007-2008 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Updated 4/8/08
Bill Name & Bill No.	Description	Sponsors	Advocates’ Position	Legislative Status	Contact Person
1. An Act Relative to Training for Law Enforcement in Dealing with Individuals Suffering from Mental Illness and Mental Retardation SB 1378	This bill would require the development of a curriculum for police recruits relative to the handling of complaints involving individuals with mental illness or mental retardation.	Sen. Creem	CLRD Priority Support	1/07: Bill was refiled. Referred to Public Safety Committee. 4/25/07: Public Safety hearing. 3/18/08: Put into a study by the Committee. (similar language was inserted into another bill, SB1342, which passed the Senate on 3/6/08. The bill is in House Steering and Policy)	Karen Talley 617-723-8455, ext. 132 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985
2. An Act to Ensure the Humane Treatment of Disabled Persons H.B. 109	Bill would prevent the use of painful behavior modification techniques on persons with physical and/or mental disabilities by any program who receives funding from the Commonwealth or by any state agency.	Rep. L’Italien	CLRD Priority Support	1/07: Bill refiled. 5/24/07: Referred to the Children and Families Committee. 1/16/08: Hearing. 3/18/08: Put into a study by the Committee.	Matthew Engel 413-584-6337 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985 Poly Cobb 617-492-4630
3. An Act Relative to Behavior Analysts HB 2244, SB 1124	This bill would establish standards for licensure as a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst.	Rep. Scibak Sen. Joyce	CLRD Priority Support	1/07: New bill filed. 2/15/07: HB referred to the Public Health Committee. 5/24/07: Referred to Children & Families Committee. 3/18/08: Put into a study by the Committee.	Matthew Engel 413-584-6337 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985 Poly Cobb 617-492-4630
4. An Act Creating and Authorizing Level IV Behavioral Treatment Intervention HB 1904, SB 1123	This bill would create a new Level 4 behavioral treatment intervention and would establish requirements for its use.	Rep. Scibak Sen. Joyce	CLRD Priority Support	1/07: New bill filed. 2/15/07: HB referred to Mental Health Committee. SB referred to same 5/24/07: Referred to Children & Families Committee. 1/16/08: Hearing. 3/18/08: Put into a study by the Committee.	Matthew Engel 413-584-6337 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985 Poly Cobb 617-492-4630
5. An Act Creating a Special Commission on Behavior Modification H.B. 2245, SB 1122	This bill would establish a special commission to investigate and make legislative recommendations concerning the use of behavior modification techniques and to establish a unified set of standards for all agencies in the Commonwealth.	Rep. Scibak Sen. Joyce	CLRD Priority Support	1/07: New bill filed. 2/15/07: HB referred to Public Health Committee. 5/02/07: HB referred to Children & Families Committee. 2/15/07: SB referred to Mental Health Committee. 5/24/07: SB referred to Children & Families Committee. 1/16/08: Hearing. 3/18/08: Put into a study by the Committee.	Matthew Engel 413-584-6337 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985 Poly Cobb 617-492-4630
6. An Act Concerning the Right of Persons Receiving Services from Programs or Facilities of the Department of Mental Health to Daily Access to Fresh Air and the Outdoors H.B. 1905, SB 1120	This bill would require psychiatric facilities to allow individuals daily access to fresh air and the outdoors.	Rep. Smizik Sens. Jehlen	CLRD Priority Support	1/07: bill was refiled. 2/15/07: Referred to Committee on Mental Health. 6/25/07: Public hearing. 2/21/08: Reported out favorably from the Committee with a redraft and sent to Health Care Finance Committee.	Helen Bryant 617-723-8455 Ext. 163 Jon Dosick 617-947-6549 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985
7. An Act Regarding Rights of Persons Receiving Services from Programs or Facilities of the Department of Mental Health HB 1895	This bill would create an appeals process with an impartial hearing for individuals in psychiatric facilities whose fundamental rights have been violated.	Rep. Provost	CLRD Support	1/07: New bill filed. 2/5/07: Referred to Mental Health Committee. 6/25/07: Public hearing 7/16/07: Favorably reported to Health Care Finance Committee.	Helen Bryant 617-723-8455 Ext. 163 Deb Thomson 617-227-6985
8. An Act to Protect the Mentally Ill in Emergency Rooms H.B. 2042	This bill requires that DPH and DMH write new regulations concerning psychiatric and behavioral health patients in hospital emergency rooms.	Rep. Balser	CLRD Support	1/07: New bill filed. 2/07: Referred to the Committee on Public Health. 6/25/07: Referred to Committee on Mental Health. 9/24/07: Hearing scheduled. 12/12/07 Referred to Health Care Finance Committee. 3/12/08: Reported favorably from Committee as amended. 3/18/08: Referred to House Steering and Policy.	Cathy Levin 617-623-0807 Susan Stefan 617-965-0776
9. An Act Relative to the Treatment of Mentally Ill Patients in ER Facilities. H.B. 1891	This bill would give DMH licensing authority over the psychiatric services in general hospital ERs instead of DPH.	Rep. Koutoujian	CLRD Support	1/07: New bill filed. 2/07: Referred to the Committee on Mental Health. 9/24/07: Hearing 12/05/07 Reported favorably by Committee and attached to HB 2042.	Cathy Levin 617-623-0807 Susan Stefan 617-965-0776

CLRD Home Meeting Minutes CFAR DCB Articles Other Postings