Committee advances recovery-residence standards after amendment amid concerns over complaint-based revocations

The House Executive Departments and Administration Committee advanced Senate Bill 298 as amended on a committee vote after a contentious debate over enforcement standards and program funding. The committee adopted amendment 17‑51H and later voted to report the bill "ought to pass" as amended.

Committee members said they supported the bill’s goal of improving safety in recovery residences but disagreed over how enforcement should work. "I think the underlying intent of the bill is very admirable," Representative Slochee said, while also warning that "people's complaints alone can be used to justify the shuttering of an otherwise functional sober living facility." The committee debated whether revocation of certification turns too heavily on the frequency or severity of complaints without a clear evidentiary or administrative process.

Representative Darje, who moved the amendment, summarized the changes the amendment makes to the bill: it adds a definition of "recovery residence," clarifies phrasing (changing some language to "and/or"), shortens the notice period to municipalities from five business days to three, removes a named reference to Oxford House, and includes language stating the department is not required to implement program provisions until adequate funding is available. The amendment sets an effective date of July 1, 2027, to allow time for compliance and budgeting.

Supporters said the 3‑day notice and the clarified wording give local officials more timely information and flexibility for enforcement. Representative Germano said the change moving municipal notice to three business days "gives them time to act in a timely way." Opponents and some members of the committee urged more explicit procedural safeguards, arguing that relying on complaints without investigatory requirements could inadvertently remove housing for people in recovery.

The committee first voted on a motion for interim study, which failed on a split vote. The committee then adopted amendment 17‑51H (reported 14–2) and subsequently voted to report SB 298 "ought to pass" as amended (reported 9–7). Representative Darje agreed to prepare the committee report for filing.

What happens next: the committee report will be filed and the amended SB 298 will be placed on the House calendar for further consideration. The amendment delays implementation until the program is funded and sets a July 1, 2027 effective date, which would push operational deadlines into the next budget cycle.