Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Juvenile Justice topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Subcommittee creates juvenile-commitment task force and narrow extension for staff assaults
Summary
House Bill 2526 was amended to establish a juvenile commitment review task force and a narrowly tailored six-month extension of a youth's residential commitment when a court finds an assault on staff; DCS officials supported narrowing and committee approved the bill unanimously.
House Bill 2526, presented as a Department of Children's Services administration bill, will create a juvenile commitment review task force to study placements of youth committed to DCS custody as dependent-and-neglected who have serious delinquent charges. The amendment also added a narrowly framed six-month extension for youth already adjudicated delinquent under the health-and-safety exception if a court finds the youth assaulted a staff member; the amendment emphasizes court involvement and due process.
Jim Lehman, DCS legislative director, described data submitted from juvenile courts and said the bill was revised after stakeholder concerns. He characterized the bill’s goal as narrowly targeted to address safety for staff and other youth, not to broadly increase detention for foster youth. Witnesses from advocacy organizations offered both support and caution; after discussion, the committee adopted the amendment and forwarded HB 2526 to full judiciary on a 6–0 vote.
