SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5455

                AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 4, 1993

Brief Description:  Correcting the codification of a section relating to chemical dependency.

SPONSORS: Senators Fraser, Deccio and Talmadge; by request of Law Revision Commission

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Talmadge, Chairman; Wojahn, Vice Chairman; Deccio, Erwin, Franklin, Fraser, Hargrove, McAuliffe, Moyer, Niemi, Prentice, Sheldon, and Winsley.

Staff:  Richard Rodger (786‑7461)

Hearing Dates:  February 9, 1993

BACKGROUND:

In 1989 the Legislature passed two major bills revising the drug and alcohol laws.  One bill repealed the law which prohibited the Department of Social and Health Services from refusing treatment to indigent applicants and recodified the alcohol treatment statutes into a new chapter.  The other bill revised the treatment statute allowing the department to prioritize admissions, but did not recodify the statute in the new alcohol treatment chapter.

SUMMARY:

The statute which allows the department to prioritize alcohol treatment admissions is recodified in the new alcohol treatment chapter.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This is a housekeeping measure that is intended to clean up a double amendment.  The word "alcoholism" could be changed to "chemical dependency."

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  David Brenna, DSHS (pro)