Panel Tables Bill Writing Psychological Screening at Detention Centers into State Law

A panel of lawmakers have tabled a bill that was an effort to protect prisoners’ constitutional rights to due process by adding enhanced access to psychological care in detention centers to state law.

Rep. James Reavis, D-Billings, said the 14th Amendment requires “fitness to proceed” — meaning those charged with a crime must be able to understand what they are being accused of and that was the reason for his House Bill 236.

Reavis said current law only includes psychological screening at one in-person facility in the state.

“And that was creating a really big backlog,” Reavis said at a Senate...