Committee advances HB 4,070 after testimony on nurse‑patient ratios; dash‑9 replaces measure

The House Committee on Behavioral Health adopted a substitute amendment (dash‑9) to House Bill 4,070 and advanced the amended bill to the floor on Feb. 12.

Staff summarized HB 4,070 as a committee bill that would clarify fiscal responsibility of community mental health programs for emergency psychiatric care, reduce administrative burdens for behavioral health providers, and modernize terminology for mental health, substance use disorder and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Staff highlighted several OLIS amendment packages: dash‑4 (telemedicine reimbursement eligibility), dash‑5 (would delay an updated med‑surg nurse‑to‑patient ratio), dash‑6 (statewide evaluation of behavioral‑health system impacts on corrections), and dash‑9 (a replacement draft that retains much of the base bill while removing certain provisions and adding crisis‑stabilization screening requirements).

Senator David Brock Smith, who identified himself as representing Curry, Coos and Douglas counties, testified on the dash‑5 amendment and asked for a delay of the med‑surg ratio scheduled to change on July 1. He said the change "will impact one of my hospitals ... to the tune of about 5 to 6,000,000 more dollars" for Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg and urged postponing implementation until further legislative consideration.

Representative Jabbity moved to adopt the dash‑9 amendments dated 02/11/2026; the committee recorded a unanimous roll call in favor and the motion passed. Jabbity then moved HB 4,070, as amended, to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation; the committee voted unanimously to advance the measure.

Next steps: HB 4,070, as replaced by dash‑9, was sent to the floor for further consideration.