House Human Services Committee finds amendment to H.2 unfavorable; debate centers on adding 19‑year‑olds to family division

The House Human Services Committee voted to find an amendment to H.2 unfavorable after a brief debate, rejecting a proposal that would have delayed moving 19-year-olds into the family division of the courts.

Representative Bridal McGuire, appearing for the committee, described the amendment as a narrow change that would strike sections 5 through 11 of H.2 and insert a new section preserving the current treatment of 18-year-olds while leaving 19-year-olds in the criminal division. "Pure and simply, this is not a repeal to raise the age," McGuire said, arguing the amendment would sunset the delayed second step of the original raise-the-age legislation rather than roll back protections already extended to 18-year-olds.

Committee members who spoke during the discussion described broad support for the goal of raising the age but said state systems are not ready to absorb the next step. One committee member said the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and related services remain "bursting at the seams," and that additional time was needed to address accountability and operational concerns before adding 19-year-olds to the family division.

The amendment's sponsor told the committee the second-step expansion to include 19-year-olds had been delayed repeatedly and was scheduled to take effect April 1. The proposed amendment sought to preserve the earlier change that had already taken effect in February 2022 (which moved 18-year-olds into juvenile/family division jurisdiction) while preventing the scheduled April 1 change for 19-year-olds. Supporters of the amendment framed it as a compromise to give future legislatures time to implement necessary changes; opponents said delaying the step further would stall the broader policy goal.

A motion to find the amendment unfavorable was moved and seconded. The committee recorded a tally of 6 in favor and 4 opposed to finding the amendment unfavorable; the motion carried. The committee's unfavorable finding is a committee recommendation and does not by itself change the bill's statutory schedule.

Committee discussion repeatedly returned to operational capacity at DCF and the need for additional preparations, including reporting and accountability measures referenced in prior legislative sessions. No new statutory text was adopted by the committee at this meeting; the committee's action was limited to the recommendation on the amendment.

The transcript shows the amendment sponsor identified herself for the record and presented the measure; members who spoke emphasized both continued support for the overall policy of raising the age and concern about short-term capacity to implement the next step. The committee did not adopt alternate implementation dates or add binding reporting requirements during this session, and it left open the option for future legislatures to revisit the schedule.

Votes at a glance: amendment to H.2 to preserve current jurisdictional rules for 19-year-olds and delay the step into family division -- committee recommendation: unfavorable (6-4).