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County official warns HB 2329 could increase local detention costs and strain services
Summary
An agency official briefed commissioners on HB 2329, saying the law restores older juvenile-placement options that could require counties to pay for longer detention or contracted residential beds and that state guidance and funding details remain vague.
An agency official summarized HB 2329 and told the commissioners the bill effectively restores prior juvenile-placement authorities, allowing courts to order longer detention and residential placements. "So it is the bill that kind of rewrites how we deal with juvenile offenders," the presenter said, and explained that under the new system a youth might receive up to 30 consecutive days and up to 90 cumulative days in detention in some cases.
The presenter warned that counties may bear significant costs when youth are placed in out-of-home or contracted residential facilities, and noted KDOC must arrange contracted beds and has limited existing capacity. The official emphasized the law lacks clear written standards and that counties will face transportation burdens and potential security-transport costs when beds are located far from home jurisdictions. Pratt County was singled out as likely to shoulder a larger share of juvenile supervision and detention demand in the official’s region because it currently has a relatively high caseload.
