Bill No.: SF0066                  Drafter:  JHR

LSO No.:  08LSO-0208              Effective Date:  7/1/2008

Enrolled Act No.:  SEA0030

Chapter No.:

Prime Sponsor:     Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

Catch Title:       Community juvenile services.

Subject:  Amends provisions relating to the Community Juvenile Services Act (the Act).

Summary/Major Elements:

· The Act was enacted in 1997 to authorize the creation of community juvenile services boards to establish, maintain and promote juvenile services in the community, but the Act has never been funded.

· This bill:

· Eliminates the requirement to address services to seriously emotionally disturbed youth under this Act;

· Specifies that the community boards may include pretrial diversion programs, research based strategies for juvenile  services and graduated sanctions;

· Specifies the composition of the community boards;

· Requires community boards, to be eligible for DFS grants under the Act, to establish criteria for a community program, including having a system with a gatekeeper function for juveniles entering the juvenile justice system and the identification of other funding sources for juvenile services;

· Specifies that juvenile services provided under the Act shall be paid cooperatively by the Departments of Family Services, Health and Education.

Comments:

· Popular name ¾ Community Juvenile Services Act

· Report Required ¾ Requires DFS to report to Joint Judiciary Interim Committee by June 30, 2009, regarding the efforts and costs of community juvenile services provided under this act.

· The bill originally contained authorization for DFS to provide up to $2 million of existing funds for grants to community boards. This authorization for use of the funds was moved from this bill to the Budget Bill, 08SF0001.