Senate approves bill to help homeless people with severe mental illness

OKLAHOMA CITY— The full Senate approved House Bill 2746 Tuesday. The bill, by Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, creates a strict set of criteria by which the guardian of a person with a grave disability would be able to access secure transport to get their family member to the care they need.

“I would like to recognize the tireless effort of Sarah Smith, a wonderful advocate who has pushed this bill through the process,” Kirt said. “Sarah advocates on behalf of her sister Courtney. Her story has helped me and my fellow legislators to understand the value of giving families all the legal resources they need to ensure their family members with schizophrenia or other serious mental illnesses can access the medical care they need.”

HB 2746 is supported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

“People experiencing serious mental illness often experience homelessness too. This bill recognizes that many unsheltered people have loved ones who want to help them access the resources they need,” Kirt said. “While we work to decriminalize living without shelter, we must expand the services available for people as they need treatment and housing. This bill takes us another step closer to the kind of community where we are fully equipped to help each other through the toughest times.”

Rep. Nicole Miller, R- Edmond, is the House principal author, and said the measure next moves to the governor’s desk.

“House Bill 2746 would ensure that gravely disabled Oklahomans going through a mental health crisis are directed to an inpatient treatment facility if they're not currently capable of taking care of their basic personal needs. I've been working on this bill with a constituent, Sarah Smith, since 2021, and we ultimately decided to name the bill after her sister, Courtney Smith. I am so delighted to see it pass its final hurdle before going to the governor's desk,” West said.

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For more information, contact:

Sen. Julia Kirt at 405-521-5636 or Julia.Kirt@oksenate.gov