The Joint Ways and Means Committee on June 26 amended and reported out House Bill 2005, a measure that changes when people with mental illness may be detained and committed and includes a $6.5 million funding package.

Senator Lieber, who introduced the work session on the bill, said the measure “modifies the circumstances when an individual with mental illness may be detained and committed to the Oregon Health Authority for involuntary treatment” and that it “allocates 6,500,000.0 total funds,” including a “5,400,000.0 general fund appropriation to the Oregon Health Authority” for community mental health program payments and “a 1,100,000.0 general fund appropriation to the Public Defense Commission to provide public defense to financially eligible persons.”

The committee adopted a dash B6 conflict amendment to resolve interactions with House Bill 2347 and related statutory changes; the amendment specifies that if HB 2347 becomes law, the ORS provision identified in this act is repealed under the cited section of the 2025 act. The committee chair recommended the bill “be amended by the dash B6 conflict amendment and be reported out due pass as amended.”

Lawmakers debated capacity concerns before the committee voted to move the bill forward. Senator Frederick said he was “concerned” about bed and staffing capacity but would vote for the bill, adding that the state “simply don't have those folks” now and that the measure is intended to help build capacity. Senator Manning said he had visited Junction City Hospital, which he described as underused and as a potential site for expanded bed capacity.

Several senators registered opposition during discussion, saying they would vote no based on concerns about where people would receive services and shelter once detained. The committee nevertheless reported the bill out due pass as amended; committee members directed the recommendation to proceed to the next step of the legislative process.

The bill text and the conflict amendment reference ORS provisions and sections of the 2025 act; committee staff said the dash B6 amendment resolves conflicts that would arise if HB 2347 becomes law and repeals the identified ORS section as specified in the act.

The report-out does not by itself change state law; the bill will proceed to the next floor consideration with the adopted amendment, and additional votes and potential amendments may follow.