stateHospital1Bismarck  (CSi)  The North Dakota Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee is studying a bill to take the name and location of the Jamestown State Hospital out of the state’s Constitution.

The committee held a hearing on that proposal. No one showed up to speak either for or against the measure.

North Dakota Hospital Association President Jerry Jurena questioned why lawmakers were considering taking the step and raised concerns that it could eventually lead to shuttering the facility.

State Hospital Superintendent, Dr. Rosalie Etherington says,the hospital has 85 beds for mentally ill and addicted patients who have failed treatment elsewhere. She says there are 106 separate addiction treatment beds and there are 52 individuals who are treated in a sex offender treatment unit.

The Committee took no immediate action.