Committee Narrows Mandatory Transfer Rule for Repeat Juvenile Offenders; Adopts Amendment
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Summary
The committee voted to return HB 2671 with a 'do pass' recommendation after adopting a Blackman amendment. The bill narrows when juveniles are mandatorily transferred to adult court, restores judicial discretion for lower-level repeat felonies, and preserves mandatory transfer for serious violent offenses.
A Special House Committee on Government voted Feb. 10, 2026 to recommend House Bill 2671, which narrows the statutory definition and mandatory-transfer rules for juveniles deemed chronic felony offenders.
Representative Hernandez (District 21), the bill sponsor, said the measure was prompted by constituent cases and stakeholder work with juvenile court judges, attorneys and affected families. He described the bill as aimed at giving certain juveniles a second chance by allowing judges to keep low-level repeat felony offenders in juvenile court — where rehabilitative services, counseling and residential programs are available — rather than mandatorily transferring them to adult court.
The committee considered and adopted an amendment offered in the hearing (referred to in the transcript as the Blackman amendment, dated 02/10/2026 at 08:47AM). The amendment, as summarized by staff, adds specified felony categories to convictions that count toward a chronic felony offender designation and revises the process by which a county attorney may initiate an adult prosecution, including removing a minimum-age requirement and placing the burden on the State to prove that adult prosecution is necessary.
Michelle Robbins, supervisor of the juvenile division at the Pima County Public Defender’s Office, testified in support and said the change would restore judicial review and individualized decision-making after research shows mandatory adult prosecution can increase recidivism for lower-risk youth. Michael Rossi (Pima County) also voiced county support and introduced Robbins.
Committee members asked for concrete examples and the sponsor and witness described typical low-level repeat-felony scenarios (shoplifting and escalating property or possession offenses) that currently can trigger mandatory transfer under the existing statute, enacted in the 1990s.
The committee adopted the Blackman amendment and returned HB 2671 with a 'do pass' recommendation. The transcript records the committee vote as 7 ayes, 0 nays.
