A pair of bills (H 7724, H 7725A as amended) to address the opioid overdose crisis would have caused considerable damage instead by allowing for the involuntary commitment of people with substance abuse disorders considered a danger to themselves or others. In April, the ACLU testified that these proposals would undermine the state's Good Samaritan Act, leaving people afraid to call for overdose help out of concern they or their loved one might be committed. Involuntary commitment is also troublesome from a medical standpoint, as some research suggests that people who are involuntarily detoxed may be twice as likely to die of an overdose once their treatment ends as people who undergo treatment voluntarily. Despite these concerns, the House approved the legislation in June. Fortunately, the Senate did not.
