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House approves juvenile‑justice revisions aimed at teacher and SRO support
Summary
HB 304 revises juvenile‑justice procedures to empower school resource officers to refer violent and weapons offenses to judges, create reintegration processes and add reporting requirements; sponsors described the bill as a teacher‑retention and school‑safety measure. The House passed the substitute 70‑0.
The Utah House on Feb. 6 passed HB 304, a package of juvenile‑justice revisions that sponsors said will help teachers, school resource officers (SROs) and courts coordinate responses to serious incidents on school grounds.
Representative Lismby, sponsor on the floor, described the bill as both a teacher‑retention and SRO‑retention measure, saying prior reforms had limited SRO authority on school grounds and the bill restores an ability to refer violent and weapons offenses to juvenile court. The bill also establishes procedures to reintegrate youth after justice involvement and creates reporting and follow‑up requirements for weapons brought to schools.
Some members cautioned against swinging the pendulum too far in reforming juvenile justice; Representative Stoddard said he appreciated stakeholder work and urged careful implementation. After limited floor debate the House approved the substitute 70‑0; the bill will be transmitted to the Senate.
