Bill > HB59

This bill requires that individuals who are civilly committed to a residential behavioral health facility operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) be counted and reallocated for redistricting and reapportionment purposes, meaning their population will be assigned to their home address within the Commonwealth if known, or to the facility's location if their home address is unknown or outside the Commonwealth. This change extends the existing practice for counting incarcerated individuals to those receiving treatment in these facilities, ensuring their presence is accounted for in the drawing of electoral districts. The DBHDS will be required to provide necessary data, similar to what the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Local and Regional Jails already provide, to the Division of Legislative Services for this purpose, while safeguarding individual privacy by not releasing specific personal address information.