Senate Health Committee blocks bill to end referral payments for recovering addicts

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Health Committee blocked Senate Bill 486 by Sen. Patricia Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, that would have prohibited commercially-operated substance abuse recovery residences, also known as sober living homes, from engaging in patient brokering.

“It’s sad that today’s decision means that patient brokering for sober living homes will continue for the foreseeable future,” Bates said. “While passing any kind of state legislation regulating sober living homes is challenging given potential conflicts with federal law, we must continue to do what we can to stop fraud and hold dishone...