SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers voted Tuesday to put a proposal before voters next March that would overhaul how counties pay for mental and behavioral health programs in an effort to address the state's worsening homelessness crisis. In 2004, voters approved a special tax on millionaires to help pay for mental health programs. Gavin Newsom wants changes to restrict how local governments can use that money, with an emphasis on mental health and drug and alcohol use programs. Under his plan, two-thirds of revenue from the tax would pay for services for people who are chronically homeless and with severe mental health issues and unhealthy drug and alcohol use. The new mandates would result in a loss of more than $1 billion for existing programs such as mental health outpatients, crisis, recovery and peer-supported services, county officials said in a letter to Newsom over the weekend.

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Persons: Sen, Susan Eggman, Gavin Newsom, Jim Wood, Assemblymember Marie Waldron, ” Lawmakers, Jacqui Irwin, Sacramento Mayor Darrel Steinberg, Karen Larsen, ” Larsen, Newsom Organizations: Democratic, Republican, ”, Sacramento Mayor, Steinberg Institute, Mental Health Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California