IN SR0047

Urges the Legislative Council to establish an interim study committee examining the role of court-appointed mental health professionals in insanity defense cases

Current law requires courts to appoint two or three psychiatrists, physicians, or psychologists to examine defendants, with at least one being a psychiatrist

Study would consider whether courts should have flexibility to appoint psychologists, psychiatrists, or physicians without requiring a specific ratio of professional types

Cites research showing psychiatrists and psychologists reach the same conclusion 92% of the time when conducting independent insanity assessments

Notes that many other states allow judges to choose evaluators without mandating specific ratios of qualified professionals