The bill expands the definition of "youthful offender" to include voluntary manslaughter, thereby broadening the range of offenses that classify a juvenile as a youthful offender. It also extends the supervised release period from juvenile facilities and introduces provisions for issuing warrants and tolling the time of supervised release for delinquent children who abscond. The "Juvenile Community Corrections Act" is renamed to the "Juvenile Community Connections Act," with the associated grant fund also renamed to support programs for adjudicated delinquent children. Additionally, the bill establishes a local panel to determine the next steps for delinquent children and creates a three-year pilot project for a monetary stipend aimed at improving outcomes for former foster or delinquent children.

Moreover, the bill amends the Governmental Immunity Act by redefining terms and expanding the definition of "immune contractor" to include licensed foster parents and medical practitioners serving children in state custody. It also introduces a monetary stipend project for eligible adults under 26 years old, providing monthly assistance payments to support their educational or workforce development efforts. The higher education department will oversee the project, determining stipend amounts based on income and public assistance, and will report on its outcomes and fiscal impact to the interim legislative health and human services committee. Overall, the bill reflects a comprehensive approach to juvenile justice reform and support for at-risk youth.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 33-9A-1, 33-9A-2, 33-9A-3, 33-9A-4, 33-9A-5, 41-4-3, 41-13-2
JC substitute: 32A-2-3, 32A-2-19, 32A-2-25, 33-9A-1, 33-9A-2, 33-9A-3, 33-9A-4, 33-9A-5, 33-9A-6, 41-4-3, 41-13-2