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House advances bill banning drug possession inside facilities that serve people experiencing homelessness
Summary
Lawmakers advanced House Bill 24-37, which makes possession and dealing of drugs inside facilities that primarily serve people experiencing homelessness an offense and extends potential consequences to employees who knowingly violate no-drug policies; a floor amendment clarified legal medication exceptions.
House Bill 24-37, described by its sponsor as a measure to protect clients and staff at facilities that primarily serve people experiencing homelessness, was recommended do pass as amended by the Committee of the Whole on Feb. 17, 2025.
Representative Gress, the floor sponsor, said the bill "is common sense" and explained the measure seeks to bar drug dealing and possession inside shelters and similar programs. "Drug dealers should face the consequences for their actions of preying upon vulnerable individuals who are seeking help," Gress said.
During committee consideration Representative Colledon pressed a technical point about individuals who are in shelters and who possess legally prescribed medication; the floor amendment adopted at the Committee of the Whole clarified that the measure does not bar possession of legally prescribed drugs by individuals using a shelter's services.
The Committee of the Whole adopted the sponsor's floor amendment and then recommended the bill as amended to do pass. The committee report was included in a package of bills referred to engrossing.
What the bill does: according to floor remarks, the bill prohibits possession and dealing of illegal drugs inside facilities that primarily serve people experiencing homelessness and subjects employees who knowingly violate no-drug policies to disciplinary consequences. The floor amendment clarified that legally prescribed medication for shelter clients is not covered by the prohibition; the transcript records that change but does not provide the bill's statutory text in full.
Recorded actions: the Commerce committee had recommended the bill (via the committee structure noted on the floor), the Committee of the Whole adopted a floor amendment to clarify prescription-medication exceptions, and the Committee of the Whole recommended House Bill 24-37 as amended do pass and referred it to engrossing.
