House Judiciary Committee advances S193 amendments, sets emergency-rule effective date for July 1, 2027

The House Judiciary Committee on May 26 approved committee “find favorable” motions on two amendments to S193, while setting the emergency-rule effective date to July 1, 2027 to allow agencies time to implement new procedures and contracts.

The committee chair said the amendments — draft 4.1 (the Wood amendment) and draft 5.1 (the amendment described in the hearing record as the ‘verdict’ amendment) — contain largely similar language but apply at different stages: one provision applies to the interim process and the other to the longer-term implementation slated for 2029. “The rules would not take effect until July 1st of 2027,” the chair said, adding that a delay would give agencies a session to review statutes in light of rulemaking and then adjust next session if needed.

Members discussed several edits included in the emergency-rule language. The chair noted an explicit change assigning the contracting relationship to the AHS medical director rather than the Department of Corrections. That edit, the chair said, and other rule-level changes “should take care of a number of individuals’ concerns,” though some members said remaining issues could be revisited in the next legislative session.

Several lawmakers questioned whether deferring the effective date for rule implementation effectively delays access to services. One committee member pressed whether the change was “pushing it off for another year,” noting the need for treatment and restoration-of-competency services. Supporters responded that even if statutory language is effective now, agencies will need time for procurement, hiring or designating a medical director, training, and preparing providers — practical steps that justify the July 1, 2027 rule effective date.

Other members acknowledged the bills are not perfect but urged moving them forward. “It was not perfect when we passed it off committee and it’s not perfect going out now, but we just can’t let perfect get in the way of good,” a member said, adding they would vote yes to keep the legislation moving so communities can access a viable solution.

The chair called straw-poll votes to find both drafts favorable. The audio transcript records committee counts in shorthand (the record contains the spoken counts “1001” and later “101”), but the exact roll-call tally is not clearly stated in the transcript. The committee chair announced the result and adjourned the meeting.

Next steps: the amendments will move forward consistent with committee practice; the emergency-rule language as discussed would delay rule effectiveness until July 1, 2027, while statutory changes tied to later provisions would take effect as written for the 2029 implementation window.