Ohio lawmakers in Columbus took a big step on Wednesday, Feb. 25, advancing a major rewrite of House Bill 58 that would clamp down on how recovery homes operate across the state. Backers say the overhaul will curb bad actors and give neighbors some relief, while critics warn the changes could drive up costs and slow the already difficult work of building supportive housing.
According to the House committee substitute posted by LegiScan, the revised bill would require recovery homes to obtain state certification, expand the public registry of providers, and create an Ohio Recovery Housing Task Force to study issues like distribution, inspections and other oversight questions. The task force would be required to report back within a year.
The substitute text also standardizes inspection and complaint procedures, tightens recordkeeping and referral rules, and adds a requirement that people who are court-ordered into recovery housing but do not complete mandated treatment be transported back to their home area. Under the proposal, transportation costs would be covered by the court or folded into treatment costs, again per the committee substitute on LegiScan.
The move followed what local reporting described as a unanimous, bipartisan committee vote. Signal Cleveland quoted sponsor Rep. Justin Pizzulli saying, "Recovery housing should be part of a treatment plan, not a business model." An earlier version of HB 58 would have created a certificate-of-need program for recovery housing, according to the original bill text as introduced by the Ohio Legislature.
Provider groups and peer advocates are not sold. Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery has argued that adding fees, inspections and tighter entry rules risks putting up fresh barriers to housing at a time when many communities still lack capacity, according to Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery.
Legal and enforcement changes
The committee substitute would give the state director of behavioral health the power to ask local prosecutors to file petitions in common pleas court to shut down certain operators and, when appropriate, to request that the attorney general take over cases. It would also make specific violations misdemeanors, including falsely advertising as a certified recovery residence and engaging in listed kickbacks or referral payoffs, and it would tighten the rules for certification, inspections and handling of complaints, according to the bill language on LegiScan.
What happens next
Supporters contend the measure would finally give local officials stronger tools to shut down bad actors in the recovery housing space. Opponents, meanwhile, are preparing to press their case to state senators.
The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for consideration and would go to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk if it clears that chamber, according to Signal Cleveland.
