We're opposed to this amendment, Mr. Chair.
The motion being proposed will require a court or review board, when making a disposition, to base its decision only on medical evidence and expert testimony. This would be too limiting. There are other types of evidence that should be considered, for example, the victim impact statement.
When the court relies on this provision to make a disposition—i.e., right after it has found the accused not criminally responsible or unfit to stand trial—it's for a short duration. It is in its essence an interim order that lasts no longer than 90 days. After that, the review board holds a hearing and makes the disposition that will be in place for the following year. Requiring the consideration of medical and expert evidence by a court at this point would likely cause court delays, given that the task of qualifying an expert witness in court is often protracted and contested.