Advocates, prosecutors split on H.2 changes to juvenile jurisdiction and 19‑year‑old inclusion

Members of the House Judiciary Committee heard competing views Tuesday on H.2, the bill that would change juvenile court jurisdiction. Karen Bastine, chair of the Council for Equitable Youth Justice, told the committee the council "fully supports, raising the minimum age of juvenile court jurisdiction to 12," while Kim McManus, speaking for the Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs, said the department "thinks phase 2 should be repealed" unless implementation concerns are fixed.

The issue matters because H.2 would reshape which young people are handled in Vermont's family (juvenile) court and how long they can remain under Department for Children and Families (DCF) supervision. Committee members and witnesses focused less on ceremonial matters and more on operational details: how long youth can remain on probation, how and when 19‑year‑olds would be added to family court, and whether family‑court processes include a practical custody “backstop” to ensure compliance and public safety.

The Council for Equitable Youth Justice, a state advisory group established under the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, told the panel it supported the bill’s…