Senate Judiciary panel amends SB 465 to cut psychiatric evaluator requirement from three to two

The Senate Judiciary Committee on a voice vote amended and moved Senate Bill 465 out of committee, eliminating a section on involuntary administration of psychiatric medication and reducing the number of evaluators the Division of Public and Behavioral Health must appoint for evaluations of defendants found incompetent from three to two.

The bill was introduced to the committee as a work session item. Jared McDonald of the Legislative Counsel Bureau Research Division summarized SB 465 and the committee amendment. McDonald said the bill “revises the procedure for the evaluation of defendants ruled incompetent, by reducing the number of evaluators...from 3 to 2.” He also told the committee the amendment “would delete section 1, which relates to the involuntary administration of psychiatric medication to certain criminal defendants.”

After the presentation, Vice Chair Flores moved to amend and do pass the bill, and a senator seconded. The committee voted by unanimous voice vote of those present to amend and do pass SB 465. The chair assigned the floor statement to Senator Hansen.

Committee action: motion to amend and do pass; unanimous voice vote of members present. The committee placed the amended bill on its work list for the floor.

Because the committee’s motion and vote were procedural and recorded on the work session record, the outcome assigned the bill for a floor statement and advancement under the Senate’s committee rules.