Newsom Vetoes California Bill That Would Pay People To Stay Sober

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October 8, 2021 astatine 9:09 pm

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom has rejected a measure that would person made California the archetypal authorities to wage radical to enactment sober.

But conscionable due to the fact that Newsom vetoed the measure by authorities Sen. Scott Wiener connected Friday does not mean the cause attraction programme won’t hap successful California.

Newsom supports the treatment, known arsenic “contingency management.” But helium wants to trial it retired archetypal earlier signing a instrumentality to marque it permanent.

The authorities budget, approved successful July, includes wealth for a aviator programme that begins successful January and ends successful March 2024. Newsom has asked the national authorities for support to wage for this aviator program. President Joe Biden’s medication — which has already signaled its involvement successful the programme — volition respond by the extremity of the year.

“The outcomes and lessons learned from the aviator task should beryllium evaluated earlier permanently extending the Medi-Cal benefit,” Newsom wrote successful a veto message. “As such, this measure is premature.”

People successful the programme are tested aggregate times per week implicit a acceptable play of time. Each clip they trial negative, they get a reward — sometimes arsenic tiny arsenic $2. People who marque it each the mode done the programme with nary affirmative tests usually gain a fewer 100 dollars and person the wealth connected a acquisition card.

The national authorities has been utilizing this attraction since astatine slightest 2011 for subject veterans done the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since then, probe has shown it is the astir effectual attraction for drugs specified arsenic cocaine and methamphetamine, for which determination are fewer pharmaceutical treatments available.

Drug overdose deaths from substances similar cocaine and methamphetamine successful California astir quadrupled betwixt 2010 and 2019. Preliminary information from the archetypal 9 months of 2020 — erstwhile overmuch of the authorities was locked down due to the fact that of the coronavirus— shows stimulant overdose deaths jumped 42% compared to 2019.

Wiener said helium was “deeply disappointed” with Newsom’s determination to veto the bill, saying the veto is “a setback successful our effort to face this epidemic” arsenic radical crossed the authorities are dying from meth overdoses.

“They’re dying close now. Time is of the essence. We cognize from much than a decennary of information and acquisition that contingency absorption is highly effectual successful helping radical halt utilizing meth,” Wiener said. “We don’t request aviator programs to archer america that.”

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Wiener’s measure easy passed the Legislature, with nary 1 voting against it. Lawmakers could ballot to override Newsom’s decision. But that’s apt won’t happen. The California Legislature has not overridden a governor’s veto since 1979.