Senate panel backs ban on requiring recovery-home residents to stop medication-assisted treatment

The Senate Finance Committee voted in committee to advance House Bill 1249, legislation that requires credentialing standards for certified recovery residences to prohibit refusing services or requiring residents to stop or taper medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder.

Supporters and advocates told the committee that prohibitions on MAT in some recovery residences can violate federal protections and discourage individuals from seeking stable housing and care. The bill would require the Department of Health's credentialing entity to include those prohibitions among certification requirements for recovery residences.

Several senators expressed concern about the committee prescribing operational practices for private recovery residences and questioned whether the state should dictate such rules. Lawmakers also asked whether regulation might interfere with providers' medical judgments, and some said they were uneasy about mandating acceptance regardless of a facility's model of care.

Despite the concerns, the committee voted the measure favorable and agreed to pass it to the Senate floor (committee tally recorded 6-3). The chair indicated the issue generated several questions that are likely to be part of floor debate and possible amendments.

What happens next: The bill will be placed on the Senate floor calendar for further debate; committee members asked staff to ensure the record includes testimony from advocates and representatives of recovery residences.