Bill > SB5696

This bill clarifies and expands the legal provisions for a sales and use tax that supports chemical dependency, mental health treatment, and therapeutic court programs. The bill allows counties and cities to impose a tax of one-tenth of one percent on sales and use transactions, with the revenue specifically designated for mental health and chemical dependency services. Importantly, the bill now explicitly permits counties and cities to use these tax funds not just for program operations, but also for new facility construction and modifications to existing facilities that are necessary to support these critical health services. The legislation provides detailed guidelines for how the collected funds can be used, including allowing a gradual reduction in the percentage of funds that can be used to replace existing funding over several years. The bill recognizes that "programs and services" encompass a broad range of supports, including treatment services, case management, transportation, and housing that are part of a coordinated chemical dependency or mental health treatment approach. Additionally, the bill encourages counties to establish therapeutic court components for dependency proceedings, tailored to their specific local size, location, and resources.