The Nevada Assembly has approved allowing courts to order mentally ill defendants who have regular run-ins with the law to complete tailored outpatient treatment plans.
Assembly members approved Assembly Bill 287 on Friday, 34-7. It now heads to the Senate.
Republican Assemblyman Lynn Stewart of Henderson says the proposal is a collaborative effort with Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget, which allocated $1.4 million for the initiative.
The bill also creates a team of specially trained law enforcement personnel to take patients into custody if they skip mandatory appointments or stop taking ordered medication.
Stewart adds the bill allows family members, friends, caretakers and doctors to report patients who fail to comply with court-ordered medical care.
He says this method will help patients before they become violent and reduce costs to the state.