The bill amends Florida Statutes regarding juvenile justice, specifically focusing on the commitment of delinquent children to the Department of Juvenile Justice. It requires courts to establish a minimum period for a child's commitment to a program, rather than an indeterminate duration, and mandates that the child must remain in the program until completion. The bill also revises the treatment plan provisions, allowing for the extension of a child's stay in the program if they fail to comply with treatment activities, while removing the previous prohibition against extending a child's length of stay for sanction or punishment purposes.

Additionally, the bill lowers the age at which children adjudicated for certain offenses can be committed to maximum-risk residential facilities from 13 to 10 years. It includes provisions for the reenactment of related statutes to ensure consistency with the amendments made. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 918 Filed: 985.455, 985.465