SB 508 (2024)
Require validated screening tools for mental health and substance use disorder at county jails, allow coordination of services for reentry, define antisemitism
Requires behavioral health treatment providers who contract with county jails "to use validated screening tools for mental health and substance use disorder." This bill also requires county jails to permit licensed community-based treatment providers and certified recovery support workers to have contact with people in custody to coordinate services upon reentry into the community.
The House amended the bill to also define antisemitism in state law. According to the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee report written by Rep. Terry Roy, "This will provide an objective criteria for law enforcement and other agencies to help determine whether or not an act is actual antisemitism and thus a discriminatory act or a hate crime. The bill goes to great length to clarify that speech is not made illegal. Hateful speech would remain legal, though it could indicate motive when combined with illegal acts."
