HCSHB2064--CIVILPROCEEDINGS
SPONSOR: Black
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonJudiciarybyavoteof11to0.
Thisbilladdsmentalhealthcourtstothelistoftreatmentcourt
divisions,definedasacourtfocusedonaddressingthemental
healthdisorderorco-occurringdisorderofdefendantschargedwith
acriminaloffense.Thebillspecifiesthatamentalhealthcourt
maybeestablishedbyanycircuitcourttoprovideanalternative
forthejudicialsystemtodisposeofcasesthatstemfromamental
healthdisorderorco-occurringdisorder.
Thisbilladdsprovisionsrelatingtocivilproceedings. Please
seetheSummarySheetforadetailedlistoftheadditional
languageaddedintheHouseCommitteeSubstituteoftheHousebill.
TheHCScontainsprovisionsfromHB1718,HB1745,HB1838,HB1855
HCSHB1886,HB1958,HB1969,HB2109,HB2194andHB2382(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillincludeswithin
treatmentcourtsanauthorizationforwhatisknownasmental
healthcourts.Thiswouldallowacourtfocusingoncriminal
offensescommittedbydefendantswithmentalhealthdisorders,
whichwouldincludeanycriminaloffensewherethereisamental
healthissuepresent. Thesealternativecourtshavepositive
effectsontheindividualsandthecommunityasfaraspublic
safetybecausethedefendantsareremovedfromtherecidivismcycle
sotheyarebetterabletoengageinthecommunity. Missouriisa
leaderintreatmentcourts.Manyofthetreatmentcourtsare
supportedbylocalcourts.Somejurisdictionshaveco-occurring
courts,wheresubstanceabuseandmentalhealthdiagnosisareboth
present.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Black;Judge
CottonWalker,JudicialConferenceOfMissouri;andtheMissouri
AssociationofCounties.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.