Co Chair Prozanski on May 21 opened a work session of the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response and, after a successful motion to suspend committee rules, the panel adopted dash-11 amendments to House Bill 2,481 and referred the amended bill to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

The dash-11 package separates two provisions with fiscal impact from a broader aid-and-assist measure: one provision addresses funding for the state guardian program and the other addresses funding for appointment of counsel in civil commitment cases. Representative Cropp, who moved adoption of the dash-11 amendments, told the committee the provisions had been separated “so that [they] can go to ways and means now” while staff continues to draft a comprehensive Aid and Assist bill that may not need that referral.

Co Chair Kropf moved to suspend the rules to allow consideration of House Bill 2,481 before the committee’s scheduled time; the motion passed on a roll call. The committee then voted to adopt the dash-11 amendment and later voted to move the bill, as amended, to the floor with a due-pass recommendation and referral to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Timothy (the committee clerk) called the roll during recorded votes.

Committee members asked few substantive questions during the work session. Representative Mannix expressed support and cited input from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, describing the tribes’ letter about treaty concerns and reforms. Senator Lieber noted he planned to vote yes but “without any promise to funding.” Committee members also noted that adoption and referral do not guarantee funding; several speakers said budgetary decisions remain to be made by Ways and Means.

Action taken is procedural and legislative: the committee added the dash-11 amendments into House Bill 2,481 and formally referred the amended bill to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means with a due-pass recommendation.

The committee closed the work session on House Bill 2,481 and proceeded to other items on the agenda.