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Senate bill to ease county timelines for civil commitments advances after debate over state capacity
Summary
Lawmakers and state officials debated Senate File 2628, which would let the Human Services commissioner approve limited exceptions to timelines for moving civilly committed patients from hospitals to treatment, amid warnings that returning to a strict 48‑hour standard would strain beds and invite litigation.
Senators advanced Senate File 2628, a bill that would allow the commissioner of the Department of Human Services — or a designee — to approve an exception to timelines for moving certain civilly committed patients from hospital settings into Direct Care and Treatment (DCT). The committee adopted an author’s amendment and voted to refer the measure to the State and Local Government Committee without recommendation.
The bill’s author, Senator Jordan Rasmussen, offered an A‑1 amendment the committee adopted that would permit the commissioner to immediately approve an exception to add up to 10 patients per fiscal year who are civilly committed and remain in hospital settings. Rasmussen said the change was requested by the Minnesota Hospital Association to help get people into appropriate care settings.
Attorney General Keith Ellison, who co‑chaired the priority…
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