 So good morning, folks. Or good afternoon, I guess at this point we've crossed the noon hour. This is the house health care committee at Thursday, March 25th. And there are several things that I want to bring us up to date on. And I'll start with the first is the most immediate. I believe that we have, so I'm just gonna say this, that there was an amendment in the calendar that Representative Cordes and Representative Donahue worked on is on the calendar. And there were questions raised. And I think from my point of view, misunderstandings about what the intent of the language was. So there was a meeting this morning that was attended by Representative Donahue and myself, the commissioner of mental health and deputy commissioner. And we have just left a meeting of the house corrections and institutions committee meeting when I left. It seemed that they were moving toward a understanding of what the department and those of us representing the committee at least and Representative Cordes was also part of that at the corrections institutions committee meeting. So I'm gonna turn to Representative Donahue or can you share what the outcome was? I cannot share the outcome. There was a request by a member and then therefore a request by the chair that we have an up to date poll of our members on the amendment as redrafted, which they haven't seen. So I am begging the indulgence of the chair and the committee members. When I presented it yesterday and you all voted, it was with the understanding it might be adjusted to meet concerns of DMH. And that was the basis. It has been adjusted. I can send it to you ASAP, but they're kind of waiting for a response. And so let me suggest that you would be willing to take a straw poll to say. No, I'm gonna ask our committee to see the language as well. I will get it right away to you. Yeah, Colleen, would you put it on the screen? I don't know that she has it, but I will get it there instantly. Been a lot of moving things. And again, I wasn't able to be part of it because I was off getting my second vaccination yesterday. So I wasn't party to all the discussions, but I know there was a great deal of committee discussion and communication. And I guess I'm coming to you with, I'll be clear with recommendation that this committee adopt support for the amended language that Representative Donahue was just referencing. But let's share it with the committee before we ask the committee to adopt language without seeing it. That would really have been unfair. I'm sorry. I'm feeling the pressure from the chair of the other committee. I get it. So I have sent it to Colleen and to everyone. So here we go. Would you walk us through Representative Donahue? And let's just point it to the changes. We don't need to read through every word because much of it is the same. That's right. So the change, if we scroll towards the end, Colleen, thanks so much. The first sentence under C, nothing above that has changed. The first sentence has not changed. Beginning with the second sentence on line 13. The big concern from DMH was that our language would be misinterpreted to mean they had to do a redesign. So what this says is through interior fit up versus building redesign. The 16 bed facility shall include two eight bed wings designed with the capability to allow the separation of one wing from the main section if necessary. Now that's different from saying two wings, but if you're dividing one wing from the other, you are creating two sub areas. Both wings shall be served by common clinical and activity space, which is what we had. The seclusion area is unchanged. And their request on the outdoor space was that it be less specific about the types of uses, but that it would be adequate for exercise and other activities, but not less than 10,000 square feet. So the primary substantive change is the clarification that it's through interior fit up, not a building redesign that this would occur. And if I may build it BGS, which is in charge with building and construct designing and constructing the testified in the committee just within the last half hour that this language and the changes that it would bring about would not increase the cost of the facility, nor would it delay the construction of the facility. So they were good with it. I have a quick question regarding the design. It'll have to go through Act 250 and I guess the members of Earth know it won't. No, they just reported on that. I wouldn't have known that. They just filed for the permit. They do not have to do Act 250. They will need a CON and they just updated corrections and institutions on that. And will it have to, so there's no public debate on how it looks or anything like that? There is through the Certificate of Need process. Okay, so the locals can have the opportunity to weigh in on the design process and that sort of thing? They can through that method. It's important to also know though that it is down a steep driveway behind a cliff, basically not visual for some distance. It's not visible at all from the street or from even near the street. I think, frankly, I think it's an ugly building. I think it looks ugly, you know? Yeah. Hopefully they do something about it, you know? Other question, represent Golden. I just noticed they took out that really nice language about gardens and whatever. So what was the... I was very clear that we were not putting gardens in statute. I was just wondering the process. I was very clear. I dived right in and said, we are not putting gardens, greenhouses or garden beds in statute, period. Got it. I was just wondering where that came from, so. I'm glad it was for me. That's where it went. I can just imagine, well, we want to not have a garden, we want a compost pile, now we have to commend it through the legislative process. Not happening. That's a good learning moment for me. Thank you. So do we need a motion to approve the bill that Ann Donahue has... Please. ...and representative Donahue and representative Cordis and representative Lipper presented? Yes. Brian, I see your hands up. Brian. Yeah. So I just want to clarify that. The reason we would not put gardens in statute is because we don't want... Brian, think about our time. We do not have time to debate gardens right now. I'm being a little... I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude, but seriously. It is in their design plan, Brian. It's in their design plan. It's just... They just wanted it more generic. It's a statutory language. I apologize for being so... Not letting me finish what I was going to ask? Yes. You're making assumptions about what I was going to ask about. What were you going to ask, Brian? I was going to just clarify that is the reason that you don't want to be so specific that if they don't want to do it, they're breaking the rules because we put it in statute. I mean, is that the idea to give them more flexibility by not... Yeah. Okay. In the same way that really statute needs to be able to stand on its own for some period of time and not to have things which require... If you go through the entire legislative process, yeah, I apologize. Let me... There's been a few things going on. Well, I understand. I more clearly understand why you wouldn't include it though. You're saying like, we don't want to force them to put gardens in. We want to leave it open for them to choose to put gardens if they wish and not require it. So, okay. Did someone make a motion? I can't remember. I believe what he did. Okay. Any other questions? We're just going to do this by Shaw Hands. By Shaw Hands, those who support the language that is the revised language to... This would be a substitute amendment on the floor, is my understanding. Okay. So, that shows a unanimous support of the committee and if you could report that to the corrections and institutions. My pleasure. Thank you. Okay, great. Thank you. I'm sorry, Brian, you have a hand up. What's that? I just want to clarify that. I voted yes because I want to support the effort to improve what's happening already, but I still, for the record, oppose building this facility the way that it's being built. So, I just want to be clear about that so that Representative Donahue knows so that what's not set on the floor is that the committee unanimously supports this idea because I don't. I support the amendment as a form of harm reduction. Noted. And I think there may be others who feel similarly that this was an attempt to try to... Given the decision of the corrections and institutions committed to move forward with a 16-bed facility, right? And rather than two eight-bed wings with one in a staged process, as some of us had recommended, but this is a decision their committee has made and this was an attempt to... And I want to just say that I appreciate the effort to maximize the clinical and therapeutic flexibility and the changes in the mid... Given that the decision has been made to do a 16-bed facility. Further comment, Brian? Your hand is still up. Okay. Once that provision hadn't kicked in yet, but it's now it has. All right. The legacy ends. Okay, so you also have received a via email from the clerk's office in amendment that Coach Christie, Kevin Christie is wanting to offer on our Bill House 210. I've been in touch with him. He's juggling many things today. He's also as some of you, I think he's the chair of the Human Rights Commission, but he certainly serves on the Human Rights Commission. I think he may also be the chair and they have a meeting today. So he's doing trying to be multiple places at once, but I reached out to him to explain that we would want him. I would want him to come into our committee to present the amendment that has been crafted and distributed by the clerk. So I've not been able to contact him at this point, but so I'm trying to think how best to proceed. We do know what the content of that amendment is, and we will want to review it as a committee and respond to it on the floor in terms of a committee vote. So let me ask first, have members had a chance to look at that language? Folks have, okay. I wasn't sure if folks would have had the opportunity. So, well, I think it would be far preferable to have Representative Christie here. Actually, what I'm gonna do is I'm just gonna, I'm gonna suggest that you take a look at the language and that given the hour, I really want him to be able to be part of this rather than doing it on his behalf. So, but I will suggest this, that we're back on the floor at 1.15. Are members flexible enough to give you relatively short notice if Coach Christie becomes available, say in the next half hour or something like that? Can we text? Can most people receive texts? I know what he can't, but do other people receive texts? Text is preferable to me, emails get buried. Yeah, I agree, yeah, me too. So, how about, how about I suggest this, that we adjourn for now, and that if you have particular questions that in the interim, you direct them to me because I believe I understand what's intended in the amendment. So that will help maybe answer some questions in anticipation of the presentation from Representative Christie. If you have particular questions, please reach out to me. And in the meantime, I will continue to reach out to Representative Christie, who I know is, as I say, juggling different responsibilities throughout the day. If we're able to meet before my preference, my strong preference would be for us to be able to meet prior to the floor, but if we're not able to meet prior to the floor to hear from him, then I will seek leave of the speaker for us to leave the floor at some point, which hopefully we'll try to work out with all of you. So you're not, we're not leaving in the middle of something that's, I mean, there's, we should all be there, but there are times we have to leave the floor to do something, but that's my second choice, not my first choice, okay? So again, if you have particular questions, reach out to me in the meantime. In the meantime, I will be reaching out to Representative Christie, and we will try to reconvene the committee to look at that amendment prior to third reading of the bill today. Okay, Representative Goldman? I'm just trying to understand our process and what I'm hearing is that you would prefer that we don't talk about it before hearing from Representative Christie, because I'm just wondering- Because he's the presenter of the amendment. He's the presenter, so in the process, but I'm just wondering if there's a way we could get ahead a little bit on what he's offered just to get the language, in a very fundamental way, not in a philosophical way, but what's the meaning of the substitutions is what I'm wondering, but if you prefer not to talk about it, then that's fine. I'm suggesting that you reach out to me if you would like to have more opportunity between now and when Representative Christie is available, I'd be happy to talk with you. But I understand that other people may have great questions that I can learn from. That's all, I'm just trying to, this is all new and it's Zoom and I'm trying to get my head around it. I understand. And I'm trying to juggle lots of things as well. So I'm trying to figure out how to have the committee get what it needs and at the same time, move us forward and be respectful of the fact that when someone offers an amendment, they should be present when that amendment is presented to a committee. I mean, that's, I think that's the level of procedure and respect that I'm trying to reach as well. So Representative Gina. Yeah, I was just gonna say, I really do think we need to wait and let the presenter make their case before we start talking about it. I read it and I looked at what it does and I could also explain it to someone, but I feel like doing that before the presenter makes their cases isn't really proper. So I appreciate that. We just have to be patient, you know? We'll get there, but I think it's an important piece of the process at this point in time. Okay, other questions in terms of process? So Woody will call you if we're looking to reconvene. No, we'll reach out. We'll give you a call. Everyone else will try to text and people will... I do have email. You could always email me as well. I do check it periodically. Yeah, well, every two minutes. No. Good for you. Okay, good. And I appreciate your flexibility on this because I think it's important for us to try to move this forward and yet respect the process that is necessary. So great. Thank you.