Rep. Patt Maney

The Florida House Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee is proposing sweeping changes to the state’s mental health and substance abuse laws during this legislative session.

Rep. Patt Maney, R-Shalimar, a retired judge and vice chair of the committee, said during a subcommittee discussion last week that he has been working to reform these laws since being elected to the House in 2020 after presiding over cases involving The Florida Mental Health Act of 1971, better known as the Baker Act.