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House committee advances bill to keep juvenile administrative fees from being collected
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 12‑94 after testimony that a drafting oversight could allow courts to resume collecting administrative fees from roughly 4,100 juvenile cases and create $700,000 in newly enforceable debt. Sponsors and witnesses urged lawmakers to preserve the 2021 change that eliminated many juvenile court costs.
The House Judiciary Committee on an 8‑3 vote advanced House Bill 12‑94, a measure sponsors said is needed to prevent courts from resuming collection of administrative fees and court costs against juveniles on July 1.
The bill would extend provisions adopted in 2021 by House Bill 21‑1315 that eliminated many court costs and administrative fees for people who were juveniles at the time of their offense. Sponsors and multiple witnesses told the committee that a drafting error in the original statute created a repeal date that would allow collection to resume for a subset of cases unless the legislature acts.
Why it matters: Committee testimony said roughly 4,100 unique cases could become enforceable and that those assessments amount to about $700,000 in potential collections. Witnesses described the fees as harmful to youth and families, especially in rural districts, and said collections were inefficient and often…
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