Legislation allowing medication-assisted treatment for substance abusers in county jails will reach the state Senate floor.

S.1795 was reintroduced in January and passed the Senate Finance Committee recently 15-7, with seven votes given with recommendations. Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, voted in favor with reservations.

Versions of the bill have been introduced in each of the past three legislative sessions, but it was never passed by a Senate committee. It would require the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision commissioner and the chair of the state Commissions on Correction to establish a medication-assisted treatment program for state correctional facilities and local jails.

The program would be voluntary and offered to those dealing with opioid addiction. Programs would include methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone in addition to counseling.

Borrello was poised to vote against the bill because of fears it would result in an unfunded mandate upon counties.

“I believe in this idea of this program,” Borrello said. “In fact, when I was county executive of Chautauqua County we had established a similar program. My concern on this bill is the unfunded mandate that this becomes on our local governments. I think these types of treatment programs in our jails are certainly helpful. It reduces the rate of recidivism, but I don’t like the idea of it being an unfunded mandate that may end up impacting the ability of others who are not in jail, especially in our rural communities, it may take funds away from them to be able to meet this mandate. I’m a reluctant no because of that.”

Sen. Jamaal Bailey, D-Bronx, said the recently approved state budget has $20 million included for the program. There is $11 million to help the state implement the program in state corrections facilities and $9 for the state OASAS to help local municipalities that opt into a medication assisted treatment program in their local jail. Bailey said he plans to push to include the $20 million in future budgets as well.

Many jails throughout the state do not currently have medication-assisted treatment programs, and Bailey said in his legislative justification that too many people leave jail and overdose or commit crimes related to their addiction when they get out of jail.

“Senator Borrello I share your concerns and I think that this is a perfect example of listening to your colleagues on the other side of the aisle,” Bailey said. “Many of your colleagues on your side of the aisle have indicated support conceptually for it but the funding concern was there. … I understand the cost for municipalities and we want this to work. The human capital is far greater than the financial money that we spend. We’ve heard the concerns of everybody and we feel that will be sufficient.”