ATLANTA — A mental health bill that sailed through the state House is getting loud pushback from opponents who say it goes too far.
Backed by House Speaker Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), the mental health bill passed the House almost by acclamation.
But now some conservatives are making it very uncomfortable for passage in the state senate.
"Right now, they’re basically acting like they’re Democrats," said Brett Chromy, who was among the newly energized opponents to what has been a bipartisan effort to strengthen laws treating mental health crises.
"It’s a lot of overreach and it’s a lot of interference in people’s personal lives," said Kimberly Eiklid of Gwinnett County.
"In the name of Jesus, kill (House) bill 1013," a woman shouted in a hallway crowded with supporters and opponents outside a committee hearing room.
Some of them carried signs denouncing the World Health Organization and Democrat Stacey Abrams – who has praised the bill during her campaign for governor. One man had a sign suggesting the bill would impede gun rights.
The bill does not touch Medicaid expansion, long proposed by Democrats.
It does provide
- $127 million for mental health crisis treatment.
- Crisis beds at treatment centers
- A 988 crisis hotline link
- Health training for law enforcement.
"We love it. It helps keep people out of jail," Chris Johnson of the Mental Health Consumer network told a senate subcommittee Wednesday.
Supporters say it’s long overdue.
"We think that’s it's pro-health, pro-faith and pro-law enforcement and best of all it’s pro-recovery and it supports people and keeps people from dying," said Deena Davis of Douglasville in the hallway outside the hearing. She described herself as a recovered substance abuser.
But opponents made the most noise, especially outside the committee hearing.
"I think there should be freedom for each community to deal with this and not impose a blanket one size fits all," Molly Daong, who said she was an anesthesiologist, told the committee.
Some conservatives want Republicans at the capitol to know they are treading into dangerous territory in this election year.
"These legislators are supposed to be representing us. The World Health Organization does not," said Jan Horne of Coweta County.
The Senate committee considering the mental health bill has not scheduled a vote on it yet – and time is running out as the legislature is due to adjourn two Mondays from now.