Legislative Alert: MA H4742: An Act for Prevention and Access to Appropriate Care and Treatment of Addiction

Sep 6, 2018

On August 9, 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed H4742. The legislation replaced H4725 and S2623, and became Chapter 208 of the Acts of 2018.

The act was introduced into the House as amended on July 11, 2018, and was read three times before passing the Senate. The House concurred in the Senate amendment with a further amendment, striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text of House document numbered 4866.

The purpose of the act, as the title indicates, is to mitigate the effects of the opioid crisis in the state and declared it an emergency. It also set up a commission of 21 members on community behavioral health promotion and prevention. Per the act, "The commission shall work to promote positive mental, emotional and behavioral health and early intervention for persons with a mental illness, and to prevent substance use disorders among residents of the commonwealth."

For more information on the current laws governing treatment programs and sober living facilities in Massachusetts, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions for the state.