State Rep. Tina Davis successfully amended legislation to establish stronger standards for recovery residences.
The Times
“I have been fighting for years to have Pennsylvania adopt a certification process for recovery and sober living houses. My community is under siege from fly-by-night flop houses masquerading as legitimate recovery homes. These boarding houses are owned by people who do not care about their tenants in recovery who are at their most fragile point, and only care about making as much money as possible. These owners are destroying our neighborhoods. Our residents and legitimate recovery house owners are demanding we do something,” Davis said.
House Bill 119, introduced by Rep. Aaron Kaufer, would establish a certification process for recovery residences, and restrict Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs funding to any noncertified house.
Davis introduced H.B. 355, which would create a new state board to oversee and certify recovery residences and sober living homes as well as restrict state funding to any government entity or organization that refers clients to noncertified houses. Her amendment included language taken from her bill.
“I believe that my bill would be a strong and effective way to solve this problem, helping those in recovery as well as protecting our neighborhoods. Rep. Kaufer’s bill, while not going as far as I would like, is still a good first step. I thank Rep. Kaufer for allowing me to work with him to strengthen House Bill 119 with my amendment so that we can take a bigger step toward meaningful certification,” Davis said.
The bill with Davis’ amendment passed the House last week and will be sent to the Senate for consideration. ••
