The senate voted to make it easier to committ people with a history of mental illness. Jack Dolan has the story from Jefferson City.
Under current Missouri law, it must be proved that a mentally ill person poses a threat of physical harm to himself or others, before he can be locked-up for psychiatric treatment.
Columbia Senator Joe Moseley sponsored a senate bill that would allow judges to committ someone with a history of serious mental illness without proving they pose a physical threat.
Moseley's bill also allows a 180 day supervised outpatient program as an alternative to the twenty-one day institutionalization recommended under current law. The bill faces one more vote in the senate before moving on to the House.
From Jefferson City, I'm Jack Dolan.