The bill amends the Delinquency Act to redefine "serious youthful offender" to include children aged fifteen to eighteen charged with first-degree criminal sexual penetration, allowing for their transfer to children's court for juvenile disposition under specific conditions. It mandates commitment until the age of twenty-six for serious youthful offenders adjudicated in children's court and clarifies the terms of commitment for adjudicated delinquent children. The bill emphasizes the importance of public safety and the welfare of the offender, while also addressing the cultural needs of Indian children during dispositional judgments and ensuring access to cultural practices and traditional treatment.

Additionally, the bill introduces new procedures for the supervised release of adjudicated delinquent children, replacing the term "parole" with "supervised release" and outlining the revocation process, including hearings by a neutral officer. It allows for the detention of children by juvenile probation and parole officers upon probable cause of a violation. The bill also includes provisions for the care of children whose supervised release is revoked and appropriates $1,000,000 from the general fund to support these changes, with the act set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 32A-2-3, 32A-2-8, 32A-2-19, 32A-2-23, 32A-2-23.1, 32A-2-25