The Statutory Revision Committee voted Thursday to introduce and advance LLS 25-024, a bill that replaces obsolete references to community mental health centers and community mental health clinics (CMHCs) in statute with current terminology used by the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA).

The change, offered by Shelby Ross of the Office of Legislative Legal Services, updates cross-references throughout several statutory sections to terms such as “behavioral health safety net providers,” “comprehensive providers,” and the licensure category “behavioral health entities.” "In 2022, House Bill ... repealed the definitions of community mental health center and community mental health clinic," Ross said, and the draft seeks to remove lingering statutory references that no longer match current licensing and payment practice.

The measure drew technical questions from committee members and agency witnesses. Erica Gannett of the Behavioral Health Administration told the committee that comprehensive providers effectively replaced the historic CMHC license: "Comprehensives are providers that are kind of the new community mental health centers," she said, adding that the safety net designation includes both comprehensive and essential providers. Melissa Edelman with the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing confirmed the agencies' coordination and said the changes do not alter current payment authority: "It doesn't impact our ability to pay any of these safety net providers."

Ross identified a few additional drafting edits she would like to make on page 3 of the draft if the committee introduces the bill; she asked for permission to incorporate those technical fixes when the committee approves introduction. Committee members discussed and agreed to a revised title that references updating terminology related to behavioral health safety net providers.

Vice Chair Rich moved to introduce LLS 25-024 as amended; Senator Ball seconded. There were no objections and the measure was carried forward by the committee.

The bill draft as discussed would remove the obsolete CMHC language across multiple sections of statute and substitute the terms used by current state practice and BHA licensure and payment rules. Sponsors and committee staff said they expect additional minor drafting cleanups before final introduction but described the work as technical statutory alignment rather than a policy change.

The committee assigned House and Senate sponsors and moved the bill forward for further drafting and legislative steps.