This bill seeks to strengthen the regulation of sober living homes and halfway houses by clarifying the oversight authority of the Department of Human Services (DHS) as it pertains to residential substance abuse aftercare facilities. Key provisions include mandatory background checks for administrators, representative payees, and owners to disqualify individuals with certain criminal histories from positions that could endanger residents. Additionally, the bill requires facilities to provide at least one week's written notice before removing residents, except in cases where a resident poses an immediate threat. It also introduces biweekly inspections for facilities under investigation for violations to ensure ongoing compliance and safety.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing laws to reflect the transition of oversight from the Department of Health to DHS and defines transitional sober living homes as part of the treatment facilities. It establishes a registry maintained by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to track available openings in these facilities, which must be updated daily and made accessible to the public. The Commissioner of Human Services is granted the authority to adopt necessary regulations to implement these changes, ensuring clarity and consistency in the statutory language.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2B-8, 26:2B-12, 26:2G-22, 26:2G-25, 26:2H-11.1