California Legislature passes involuntary outpatient commitment bill (tags)
With bipartisan super-majority votes that stunned and dismayed mental health clients and advocates, the California Senate and Assembly passed involuntary outpatient commitment (IOC) bill AB 2357, sending the bill to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign or veto. The bill would extend Laura's Law, California's existing outpatient commitment law, by five years.
Senators' votes on earlier forced treatment bills spell trouble for AB 2357 opponents (tags)
As the final vote nears for involuntary outpatient commitment bill AB 2357 on the floor of the California Senate, state senators' votes on earlier forced treatment bills spell trouble for AB 2357 opponents. But some advocates remain hopeful that senators will be persuaded to vote "no" at the last minute, others will continue to vote "no", and the bill's course will be reversed.