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Arizona Lawmaker Proposes Bill To Limit Sober Living Referrals

Calling it an insurance scam, a Prescott lawmaker wants to make it illegal for sober living homes and similar day-treatment centers to pay people for referrals.

Rep. Noel Campbell acknowledged that placing limits on referral fees runs contrary to the Republican philosophy of less regulation, but he said this is different.

"They have people, brokers or younger kids go out and find other kids that are in distress with drug addiction problems and they pay them, sometimes up to $5,000 to have this kid brought to them," Campbell said.

Referrals of more than $1,000 would be a Class 3 felony with prison terms possible for even first-time offenders.

This isn't Campbell's first effort to rein in the industry. Last year he crafted a measure to allow communities to impose mandatory registration requirements on all sober living homes, one of Prescott’s top industries.