The House subcommittee on Public Health met this afternoon
House Bill 4413 would make syringe exchange service programs illegal. This bill was reported to Health and Human Resources.
House Bill 4403 would create the West Virginia Homeless Shelter Oversight & Safety Act. This act would make homeless shelters under the standards of regulation for residential facilities. This bill was moved to markup and discussion.
House Bill 4458 would create the Substance Abuse Intervention Act. This act creates a process for people with substance abuse disorders to be given involuntary treatment under specific criteria. This bill was moved to markup and discussion.
This criteria is defined in the bill as “No person suffering from substance use disorder shall be ordered to undergo treatment unless that person: (1) Suffers from a substance use disorder; (2) Presents an imminent threat of danger to self, family, or others as a result of a substance use disorder, or there exists a substantial likelihood of such a threat in the near future; and (3) Can reasonably benefit from treatment.”
In addition, this bill also describes the duties of the courts, a petition for the involuntary treatment process that will be at a minimum of 60 days and no longer than 360 days. The bill also establishes a 72-hour emergency involuntary treatment. This bill allows the court to issue a summons if a person fails to attend an examination, and transportation may be provided by a sheriff or peace officer for the examination.
House Bill 4459 would make kratom a Schedule I controlled substance. This would apply to synthetic kratom and the organic plant. This bill was moved to markup and discussion.
