Sen. Hargrove optimistic about treatment overhaul bill

Published 12:01 am Monday, February 14, 2005

OLYMPIA — An ambitious effort to overhaul the state’s mental health and substance abuse treatment that could save as much as $20 billion over 20 years has received a good reception in the state Senate.

Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, said his 164-page bill, SB5763, had a two-hour hearing on Thursday.

Virtually all the testimony, he said, was positive.

Several Republicans are supporting the bill although it contains a local option sales tax increase, he said.

“There’s a growing awareness that if we spend some money earlier in the process, we will save way more than we will spend,” Hargrove said.

Hargrove, along with Reps. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, and Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, represents the 24th District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County.

As House majority leader, Kessler is the second-ranking Democrat in the lower house.

Budget deficit shield

Hargrove said the bill’s local option sales tax clause will keep the bill’s funding from being swamped by the state’s now-$2.2 billion budget deficit.

“It needs some more technical work, then it will pass out of committee next week or the week after,” Hargrove said.

“I feel it has a pretty good shot. We’ve done some economic analysis and the savings could be tens of billions of dollars over the next 20 years.”