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House Approves DORA Pilot to Route Drug Offenders into Treatment; Bill Moves to Senate
Summary
Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1004, a three‑year pilot to place 250 convicted drug offenders into treatment programs and compare outcomes to control groups. The House recorded the bill as passed and sent it to the Senate; funding in the fiscal note includes $500,000 this year and an expected $900,000 the next year.
The Utah House on April 19 approved Senate Bill 1004, the Drug Offender Reform Act (DORA), a pilot program intended to route selected felony drug offenders into treatment and study outcomes rather than defaulting to incarceration. The bill passed the House and was sent back to the Senate for final signature.
Supporters described DORA as an evidence‑based pilot that would enroll about 250 offenders and compare their outcomes with control groups. The bill sponsor told members this is “a pilot study that attempts to take 250 offenders and compare them to a group that do not go into that get the appropriate treatment and compare them to another control group,” with a final report due in February 2008. The fiscal note attached to the bill appropriates $500,000 for FY2006 and anticipates an additional $900,000 the following year if the Legislature decides to continue funding; the sponsor cautioned members not to vote for the pilot if they were unwilling to consider the follow‑on costs.
Some members said they support DORA’s goals and called it a preventive, cost‑saving measure; others urged caution because a full statewide rollout would carry substantially larger ongoing costs. Representative Bigelow warned members to “vote with your eyes open” on future funding obligations and noted that while pilot data can show effectiveness, savings in prison populations would take time to materialize.
The presiding officer announced the House recorded the final vote and that Senate Bill 1004 "having received 68 yes votes [no votes not specified in the transcript]" passed the House; the bill will be signed by the Speaker and sent to the Senate President for concurrence and enrollment.
The House debate included several members urging colleagues to review material and public information about substance‑abuse treatment outcomes; Representative Jones recommended a KUED program as useful background for lawmakers. Proponents emphasized quicker access to treatment, judicial flexibility to match offenders to the right level of care, and potential long‑term savings in corrections and social costs.
Next steps: the bill will be signed by House leadership and transmitted for Senate action and enrollment; a final evaluation of the pilot was slated for February 2008 per the sponsor’s remarks.
