On Thursday, September 30, U.S. House Judiciary Committee marked-up the Mentally Ill Offender Crime-Reduction Act (S. 1194). The bill was placed on the suspension calendar for a vote by all House members on October 6. After the bill is passed by the House (which most expect to happen, assuming the bill is voted on), the relatively minor differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill must then be worked out in a conference committee before it is sent to the President for his signature.

Before it reached House Judiciary Committee, the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security convened a hearing of the bill on June 22.

Earlier this month, the Subcommittee also marked-up the bill, making various changes which included halving the authorization level to $50 million. None of the sponsors or groups supporting the legislation opposed these changes.

The companion bill passed the Senate with unanimous consent in October 2003. Click here to read a Consensus Project feature written following the S. 1194's approval in the Senate.