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Judiciary panel amends, advances DOCR bill limiting program to children 18 and under; re-referment to appropriations ordered
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee amended and recommended passage of a corrections department bill that would authorize a housing program for incarcerated parents and their children, clarifies the age limit for children as 18 or younger, and referred related spending to the appropriations committee.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 29 amended and recommended passage of a bill authorizing a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) program that would allow incarcerated parents to participate in a planned residential program with their children.
Committee members struck an original section of the bill and adopted an amendment that specified that the program applies when the child is 18 years of age or younger, narrowing language that previously used the broader term “child.” The committee then approved a due‑pass recommendation for the bill as amended and agreed to re‑refer the measure to the Appropriations Committee because members said the program includes line items (described in committee discussion as “pillows and blankets” and other startup costs) that could require funding review.
Why it matters: Committee members said they wanted statutory clarity about the program’s intended participant age and to avoid future ambiguity about program scope. Several senators also said agency rules and internal DOCR procedures could change over time, and inserting a statute that limits the eligible age provides certainty for the planned facility and programming.
Details of the amendment and debate: An amendment introduced during the hearing struck the bill’s original section 1 and replaced it with a new section clarifying age limits. Senator Paulson (identified in committee discussion as the sponsor of the amendment) told the committee the change was intended to reflect previous public conversation and agency proposals and to make the legislature’s intent explicit. Committee members discussed whether the DOCR’s internal rules should be subject to legislative review; some senators expressed concern that agency policies can change and that statute gives clearer, longer‑lasting direction.
The committee discussed immunization requirements raised in testimony. Committee members asked whether the incarcerated parent would be required to keep a child’s immunizations current; DOCR emailed updated draft rules during the meeting that said incarcerated parents would follow immunization recommendations for the child including available exemptions, the committee reported.
Votes and next steps: The committee voted to adopt the amendment and later approved a due‑pass recommendation as amended. The committee decided to re‑refer the bill (identified in debate as “2,352”/“2,352” or the bill previously discussed as brought back from penitentiary planning) to the Appropriations Committee for review of associated costs. Senator Paulson agreed to carry the bill on the floor.
Context: Committee members repeatedly said the DOCR had returned with more developed planning since prior hearings and that statutory language limiting the child’s age was added to prevent the agency from later expanding eligibility without legislative action. Testimony and staff communications during the hearing indicated DOCR staff had provided updated policy language after some senators raised immunization concerns.
