88th Texas Legislative Session (2023)

88th Texas Legislative Session (2023)

Bills of Interest

Whether you are for or against specific bills, it is important to learn about and track the progress of legislation that could impact the recovery community. Below are bills of interest.

HB 85- Relating to the use, possession, delivery, or manufacture of drug testing equipment. (88th TX Lege)

HB 224- Relating to removing criminal penalties for the possession or distribution of certain drug paraphernalia under the Texas Controlled Substances Act.

HB 233- Relating to inservice training on identifying abuse, neglect, and illegal, unprofessional, and unethical conduct in certain health care facilities.

HB 248- relating to anti-patient brokering. (88th TX Lege)

HB 299- relating to voluntary recovery housing accreditation. (88th TX Lege)

HB 727- Relating to the applicability of the death penalty to a capital offense committed by a person with severe mental illness.

HB 822- Relating to the drug testing of certain persons seeking benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. (88th

HB 1019- Relating to the reentry and reintegration programs provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

HB 1019- Relating to the reentry and reintegration programs provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. (88th TX Lege)

HB 1987- Relating to municipal regulation of structured sober living homes (88th TX Lege)

Policy Priorities

RecoveryPeople prioritizes policies that support access, choice, and protections for persons seeking or maintaining recovery from substance use and related mental health challenges and for their affected family members.

Stop Patient Brokering

Patient brokering or Body brokering is happening across Texas! Texas and federal patient brokering laws (Anti-Kickback Statute and Recovery Kickback Prohibition) are too narrow to protect Texans. Federal law enforcement…

Protect our recovery homes!

We must protect our recovery homes from over-regualtion and it’s residents from exploitation! Texans deserve to have their freedom of choice and rights protected. Due to increased NIMBYism and blatant…

88th Legislative Handbook- Coming Soon!

Laws that Support Recovery

SUPPORT Act

H.R.6 - Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act or the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act for Patients and Communities Act; 115th Congress (2017-2018)

Subtitle D--Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living (Sec. 7031)
- The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require SAMHSA to develop best practices for operating recovery housing (shared living environments free from alcohol and illegal drug use and centered on peer support and connection to services that promote recovery from substance-use disorders).
Subtitle P--Peer Support Communities of Recovery
- (Sec. 7151) SAMHSA must award grants to support recovery community organizations (nonprofit organizations that are wholly or principally governed by individuals in recovery for substance-use disorders).

Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)

Parity Act

Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Fair Housing Act

Adminstrative Agencies that Support Recovery

Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

Health and Human Services

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)