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House committee backs notification for guardians when court-ordered patients are released
Summary
Representative Bliss urged support for SB 12-43 to require guardian notification when people on court-ordered treatment are discharged; Representative Collin opposed, saying the measure could undermine prior probate reforms and enable guardian overreach.
The Committee of the Whole recommended Senate Bill 12-43 do-pass after floor debate on April 1. Sponsor Representative Bliss said notifying guardians when patients subject to court-ordered treatment are released would protect a vulnerable population during a risky period, citing deaths that can occur when people go off medication.
Representative Collin argued in opposition that prior bipartisan probate reforms strengthened due process and that SB 12-43 could chip away at those protections by permitting guardians to interfere even after a department or court has determined a person may be released. Collin said the bill could allow guardians to contest release decisions and improperly extend guardianship control.
The Committee of the Whole voted to recommend the bill receive a do-pass report and the bill was placed on the House calendar for third reading.
Why it matters: Supporters framed the bill as a public‑safety and patient‑protection measure for people leaving court‑ordered treatment; opponents cautioned it could weaken recent probate due‑process reforms.
What’s next: SB 12-43 was reported from the Committee of the Whole and placed on the House calendar for third reading.
