[an error occurred while processing this directive]
New Threat to Civil Liberites In Maryland
posted by Adam on Wednesday March 05, @03:01PM
from the News dept.
News fightbigotry2002 writes "Maryland bills HB 668 and SB 273 two bills before the Maryland legislature. http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/billfile/sb0273.htm and Senate Bill 273 What this means is that someone no longer needs to go before the court to have someone taken against their will for a mental observation request, no hearing. The potential for false accusations are enormous when added to the ease in which a petition is already made and accepted. I had a friend whose ex-wife, pulled that stunt on him several years ago, he was forced to into a holding pen with other people, stripped naked and kept that way for a week. After the week was over, they told him he was in good physical health and sent him on his way. Write your legislator www.geocities.com/dscott8186/legislation.htm"

Junior College Calls Men Tyrannical | Boys need conflict to thrive  >

  
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Land Of The Free? Erm... Switzerland? (Score:1)
by Uberganger on Thursday March 06, @05:32AM EST (#1)
(User #308 Info)
I had a friend whose ex-wife, pulled that stunt on him several years ago, he was forced to into a holding pen with other people, stripped naked and kept that way for a week.

Is this America we're talking about? Sounds more like Airstrip One.
Mental Hygiene Imprisonment Russian-Nazi Style (Score:1)
by dogfree_zone on Thursday March 06, @01:21PM EST (#2)
(User #708 Info)
Note at the very bottom of the bill, the length of time a subject can be detained. In exact effect, until he is released in court.

Here's the initial draft of the bill, with formatting cleaned up:

================================================

http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/billfile/sb0273.htm
http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/bills/sb/sb0273t.rt f

SENATE BILL 273
 
Unofficial Copy 2003 Regular Session
J1 3lr0965
  CF 3lr0777
 
_________________________________________________
By: Senators Grosfeld, Britt, Conway, Forehand, Garagiola, Green, Greenip, Schrader, Stone, and Teitelbaum
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2003
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
________________________________________________
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2003
__________________________________________________ _______________

CHAPTER_______
 
          AN ACT concerning

          Mental Hygiene Administration - Emergency Evaluation - Standards and Content

          FOR the purpose of modifying certain standards for emergency evaluations of individuals with mental disorders; authorizing certain individuals who make a petition for emergency evaluation to base the petition on certain information; modifying the required elements of a petition for emergency evaluation; and generally relating to emergency evaluations of individuals with mental disorders.

        BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
        Article - Health - General
        Section 10-622, 10-623, and 10-626
        Annotated Code of Maryland
        (2000 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

        SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

        Article - Health - General

                                                                  10-622.

(a)A petition for emergency evaluation of an individual may be made under this section only if the petitioner has reason to believe that the individual:

          (1)[has] HAS a mental disorder [and that there is clear and imminent danger of the individual's doing bodily harm to the individual or another]; AND

          (2)THE INDIVIDUAL PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE LIFE OR SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR OF OTHERS.

(b)(1)The petition for emergency evaluation of an individual may be made by:

          [(1)](I)A physician, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional counselor, or a health officer or designee of a health officer who has examined the individual;

        [(2)](II)A peace officer who personally has observed the individual OR THE INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR; or

        [(3)](III)Any other interested person.

        (2)AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAKES A PETITION FOR EMERGENCY EVALUATION UNDER PARAGRAPH (1)(I) OR (II) OF THIS SUBSECTION MAY BASE THE PETITION ON:

        (I)THE EXAMINATION OR OBSERVATION; OR

        (II)OTHER INFORMATION OBTAINED THAT IS PERTINENT TO THE FACTORS GIVING RISE TO THE PETITION.

(c)(1)A petition under this section shall:

        (i)Be signed and verified by the petitioner;

        (ii)State the petitioner's:
        1.Name;
        2.Address; and
        3.Home and work telephone numbers;

        (iii)State the emergency evaluee's:
        1.Name; and
        2.Description;

        (iv)State the following information, if available:
        1.The address of the emergency evaluee; and

          2.The name and address of the spouse or a child, parent, or other relative of the emergency evaluee or any other individual who is interested in the emergency evaluee;

          (v)Contain a description of the behavior and statements of the emergency evaluee OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION that led the petitioner to believe that the emergency evaluee has a mental disorder and that [there is clear and imminent danger of the emergency evaluee's doing bodily harm to the emergency evaluee or another] THE INDIVIDUAL PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE LIFE OR SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR OF OTHERS; and

        (vi)Contain any other facts that support the need for an emergency
        evaluation.

        (2)The petition form shall contain a notice that the petitioner:

        (i)May be required to appear before a court; and

        (ii)Makes the statements under penalties of perjury.

(d)(1)A petitioner who is a physician, psychologist, clinical social worker, licensed clinical professional counselor, health officer, or designee of a health officer shall give the petition to a peace officer.

        (2)The peace officer shall explain to the petitioner:

        (i)The serious nature of the petition; and

        (ii)The meaning and content of the petition.

                                                                  10-623.

(a)If the petitioner under Part IV of this subtitle is not a physician, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional counselor, a health officer or designee of a health officer, or a peace officer, the petitioner shall present the petition to the court for immediate review.

(b)After review of the petition, the court shall endorse the petition if the court finds probable cause to believe that the emergency evaluee has shown the symptoms of a mental disorder and that [there appears to be clear and imminent danger of the emergency evaluee's doing bodily harm to the emergency evaluee or another] THE INDIVIDUAL PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE LIFE OR SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR OF OTHERS.

(c)If the court does not find probable cause, the court shall indicate that fact on the petition, and no further action may be taken under the petition.

                                                                  10-626.

(a)A court may order, at any time, an emergency evaluation under Part IV of this subtitle of an individual who has been arrested, if the court finds probable cause to believe that the individual has a mental disorder and [there appears to be clear and imminent danger of the individual's doing bodily harm to the individual or another] THE INDIVIDUAL PRESENTS A DANGER TO THE LIFE OR SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR OF OTHERS.

(b)The court order for an emergency evaluation shall state the grounds.

(c)Unless the court directs otherwise, an individual who is taken to an emergency facility under this section shall stay in the custody of the peace officer until the individual either is admitted to an appropriate facility or returned to the court or an appropriate jail.

(d)If an individual was detained lawfully before the court ordered an emergency evaluation under this section and the individual does not meet the requirements for involuntary admission under this subtitle:

        (1)The examining physician shall send a brief report of the evaluation to the court; and

        (2)The peace officer shall:

        (i)Return to the court the individual, the court order, and the report of the examining physician; or

        (ii)If the court is not in session, take the individual to an appropriate jail and, before the end of the next day that the court is in session, return to the court the individual and the report of the examining physician.

(e)A court order under this section is a detainer against an individual until:

        (1)The charges against the individual are dismissed, nol prossed, or stetted; or

        (2)The individual appears in court.

        SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect October 1, 2003.

=============================================
[an error occurred while processing this directive]