A South Boston Democrat will try to force the Senate to vote on allowing doctors to involuntarily hold patients who overdose for three days in order to arrange treatment.
The state legislature is preparing to pass legislation strengthening the commonwealth's fight against the opioid epidemic. In his version of the CARE Act, Gov. Charlie Baker proposed allowing a 72-hour hold on patients who overdose while in medical care where they would be evaluated and offered longer-term treatment whether they want it or not.
Democratic leaders rejected the idea, but South Boston Sen. Nick Collins will offer an amendment Wednesday to get the three-day hold provision back in the bill when the Senate amends and votes on it.
"This isn't a partisan issue. It's not a Democrat or Republican issue. I think it's a common sense issue," Collins told WGBH News Wednesday before filing the amendment to restore the hold language to the bill.
Opponents say the involuntary hold goes too far and erodes patients' rights, but supporters like Collins and Baker say the time frame is crucial for getting addicts into long-term treatment.
"There are times when we wrestle with the right of individuals and what that means. I think it's their right to be alive, and so when we have situations when we can help people in that state, we must," Collins said.
The Senate and House, both dominated by Democrats generally opposed to the measure, would need to change course and embrace the plan for it to reach Baker's desk.
