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Committee orders statewide study of juvenile detention capacity; amendment on staffed beds fails
Summary
Senate Judiciary approved a bill to task the state with studying the availability and inspection of juvenile detention and treatment facilities. An amendment that would have required reporting of both rated bed counts and staffed beds failed in committee.
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced legislation to survey the state’s capacity for juvenile detention and treatment beds and to review inspection practices for those facilities.
Senator Brian Taylor presented the bill asking the state to determine current availability of juvenile detention beds both before and after adjudication. Senator Roberts offered an amendment (drafting code 49-48) to refine the study: his amendment would have required the report to distinguish between the total number of beds a facility is rated for and the number of beds actually staffed, and to include details on inspection items, inspection frequency, reporting mechanisms and actions taken to cure deficiencies. Senator Taylor declined to accept the amendment as friendly, saying the sponsor municipalities had requested a more narrowly scoped inventory.
The committee voted on Senator Roberts’ amendment by roll call; the amendment failed (three ayes, six noes). The underlying bill then passed the committee by roll call and was placed on the calendar.
Committee members noted prior Comptroller and Government Operations testimony raising concerns about inspection standards for youth facilities; advocates and municipal officials had requested the inventory to inform follow-up policy work. Senator Taylor said municipalities in his district sought a statewide inventory; Senator Roberts said distinguishing rated beds from staffed beds can materially affect policy decisions and resource planning.
The bill will proceed for additional review on the calendar and any future fiscal or inspection‑policy proposals will be informed by the study the bill requests.
