<em>Trueblood</em> bill passes House

E2SSB 5444, commonly referred to as the “Trueblood” bill, was amended on the floor and voted out of the House. The bill:

• Establishes forensic navigators to aide with treatment and competency restoration;
• Expands authority to divert an individual to treatment instead of criminal prosecution;
• Allows a prosecuting attorney to challenge the dismissal of charges when a person is found not to be competent and the prosecutor believes the person should receive competency restoration services;
• Requires that a court must schedule a hearing on a prosecutor's motion for misdemeanor competency restoration within seven days;
• Establishes competency restoration for a person charged with a nonfelony, which may take place in an inpatient setting or a community-based setting, based on the recommendation of the forensic navigator with input from the parties;
• Creates criteria for a person to be eligible for outpatient competency restoration; and
• Institutes restrictions that prevent a court from ordering outpatient competency restoration unless the Department of Social and Health Services certifies that there is an available outpatient restoration program with adequate space for the person.

The amended version of E2SSB 5444 advanced out of the House unanimously. The Senate must now vote to adopt the changes made in the House before final passage of the legislation.