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Committee grants Judicial Performance Commission access to youth-court records; amendments clarify attorney and parent access
Summary
Lawmakers advanced SB 24-83 to allow the Judicial Performance Commission access to youth-court records and approved amendments removing "upon request" language so parents and attorneys are entitled to copies of records rather than only inspection.
The Judiciary Division A committee advanced Senate Bill 24-83, a bill from the Judicial Performance Commission that would grant the commission access to youth-court records to support oversight and accountability. The committee approved amendments clarifying that parents, guardians and attorneys are entitled to copies of certain youth-court records rather than inspection only.
Senator Turner Ford asked whether counsel who had entered an appearance in a youth-court case would have access to records without a court order. The chair replied that the relevant code section (cited in committee as 43-21-261) already gives attorneys the right to inspect records, but that enforcement varies by jurisdiction. After debate, the committee removed the words "upon request" from a paragraph at line 76 and from a later paragraph at line 85 so that the language reads that parents, guardians or attorneys "shall be provided a copy of any record." The chair characterized the change as conforming language that would prevent some districts from limiting attorneys to on-site inspection only.
Committee members voiced that inconsistent local practices had caused confusion about whether attorneys could take copies to law offices. Senators said the amended language is intended to make record access consistent statewide. The committee then voted to advance the committee substitute by voice vote.
