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6/7/2024
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New law seeks update of state’s statutes concerning substance use disorders
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STATE HOUSE – Legislation sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Joshua Miller and Rep. Jennifer Boylan has been signed into law, setting in motion an update of state statutes concerning people with substance use disorders and emergency commitment.
The legislation (2024-S 2087, 2024-H 7736), which passed the General Assembly May 29 and was signed by Gov. Daniel McKee June 4, requires the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) to coordinate with the Department of Health to propose revisions to sections of the general laws relating to alcoholism and emergency commitment for drug intoxication, including updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices.
“Some parts of our laws concerning substance use treatment are 40 or 50 years old. Besides containing language and terms that are now offensive and insensitive, they also need to be modernized to reflect today’s practices. Our laws should not perpetuate stigmas, and should be supportive of efforts to effectively treat people affected by substance use disorders,” said Chairman Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence).
Said Representative Boylan (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence), “Effective treatment and services for people with substance use disorders starts with effective policies. We recognize better today than when these laws were written that substance use disorders are a health issue, not a criminal matter. Getting leaders together to craft laws that approach it from that angle will direct our resources toward getting people the help they need, when they need it.”
The law requires BHDDH to report its proposed changes to the General Assembly by Jan. 1, 2025, enabling legislators to consider enacting them during the next legislative session.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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