Municipalities would need agreements before transporting people for treatment

A municipality would need an agreement with the receiving municipality before arranging a covered transport. This covers a homeless person or someone showing signs of substance-related addiction or incapacitation when a municipality helps move that person to another municipality for housing, shelter, addiction treatment, related services, or placement there. The agreement would list services, possible payments by the sending municipality, transfer limits, coordination steps, reporting duties, and other mutually agreed terms. This would not cover emergency medical transfers, law-enforcement transfers required by a court order, or a person's voluntary move without municipal help. A municipality found in violation would face a $5,000 fine paid to the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse the receiving municipality. The requirement would apply to covered transports arranged on or after July 1, 2026, if the act takes effect.

A municipality could set local rules for some harm-reduction materials and could bar covered organizations from operating in its area. The rules would apply to treatment or recovery groups supported by the opioid abatement trust fund and to syringe-service programs operating within a municipality. A municipality could set requirements for messages, harm-reduction materials, and when and where those materials are distributed. It could require these organizations to offer a path to recovery and provide information opposing drug use and promoting respite and recovery programs. The municipality could disallow an organization covered by these provisions from operating within its boundaries. These municipal powers would apply beginning July 1, 2026, if the act takes effect.

The Department of Health and Human Services would have to adopt rules for covered transportation and for enforcing municipal agreements. The rules would address transportation under the proposed municipal-agreement section and enforcement of agreements concerning financial responsibility for services. The rules would be adopted under the state's administrative rule process. The bill provides no appropriation or new positions, according to the fiscal note. The rulemaking provisions would take effect July 1, 2026, if the act takes effect.