Governor Newsom’s legislative package of two bills proposing to
modernize the state’s behavioral health system and create more
behavioral health housing have been set for their initial
hearings next week in policy committees.
AB 531 (Irwin), the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond
Act of 2023, which proposes a $4.68 billion bond measure to
finance the construction of community mental health facilities,
has been set for hearing on Monday, July 10 in the Senate
Committee on Housing. CSAC, jointly with the Urban Counties of
California and the Rural County Representatives of California,
has taken a position of
‘support in concept’ on the measure as currently drafted.
Should the bill pass out of Senate Housing Committee, the bill
will be referred next to the Senate Committee on Governance and
Finance, where the bill is scheduled for hearing pending
receipt on Wednesday, July 12.
SB 326 (Eggman), the Behavioral Health Services Act, which
proposes significant changes to the Mental Health Services Act
(MHSA) among other provisions, is set for hearing in the
Assembly Committee on Health on Tuesday, July 11. Of note, the
bill will be taken up as “vote-only” in order to adopt an
urgency clause, which will allow the measure to be heard beyond
the policy committee deadline to hear bills which is Friday,
July 14. There will be no testimony taken on this bill for this
hearing. CSAC anticipates the bill’s first policy hearing will
occur sometime in August after the Legislature returns from its
summer recess which concludes on August 13.
