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House panel hears bill to update Youth Court Act, expand prosecutorial direct‑file for certain violent offenses
Summary
Supporters said HB332 modernizes statutory references and lets county attorneys seek adult court for newly defined violent offenses; opponents including legal defenders and child‑advocacy groups warned it risks prosecuting younger children in adult court and imposes significant fiscal and safety costs.
Representative Bill Mercer urged the House Judiciary Committee to approve House Bill 332, saying the measure ‘‘is a cleanup bill’’ that updates the Youth Court Act to reflect offenses added to state law since the statute was written. Mercer and supporters told the committee some newly enumerated violent offenses — including strangulation and aggravated forms of sexual assault and kidnapping — should be eligible for direct filing in district court rather than handled exclusively in youth court.
Proponents included Hallie Bishop, a deputy chief in the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office, who described the bill as technical fixes to correct cross‑references and to close procedural gaps the office encounters frequently. Bishop said the bill clarifies how consent…
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