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House passes bill extending reporting window for temporary homeless youth shelters
Summary
House passes HB 132 to extend the reporting time for runaway and homeless youth entering licensed youth shelters from 8 hours to 48 hours, a change sponsor says will aid reunification and allow evaluation; the bill passed 70–0 and was supported by DCFS and service providers.
The Utah House on March 4 approved first substitute House Bill 132 to extend the required reporting window for runaway and homeless youth entering licensed facilities from eight hours to 48 hours.
Representative Frower, sponsor of the bill, said the longer reporting period follows consultation with the Department of Child and Family Services and nonprofit providers, who reported the eight‑hour window was “not long enough to do any type of reunification with the current parental unit” and did not give staff sufficient time to evaluate whether returning a youth to a home was appropriate. He said the state has an estimated 10,000 homeless youth age 17 or under and that the change would improve communities’ ability to help them.
No opponents spoke during floor debate. The House voted 70–0 to pass HB 132; the bill will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.
The measure changes reporting deadlines for licensed youth facilities; it does not itself appropriate funds. Sponsors said the change aims to give child welfare workers and shelter staff more time to assess reunification and safety concerns before returning youth to parents or guardians.
