Current law provides that either party in a juvenile court hearing conducted by an associate juvenile can request a rehearing within five days of the associate judge's order. HB 272 removes the option for a rehearing.  Counties will hire associate judges to relieve caseloads on juvenile court judges. This will allow for a more efficient processing of these cases and will save county resources.

SB 94 was a bill that dealt with firearms, but was stripped in House the Non-Civil Judiciary Committee and HB 185, the Runaway Youth Safety Act was inserted.

Under current law, it is a crime for someone to help a child who has run away. HB 185 allows community based programs that provide services to runaway children, homeless children or those at risk of becoming homeless to assist these children so long as the program contacts the parent, guardian or custodian of the child within 72 hours. Alternatively, if the program provider believes that the child has been abused, the provider does not have to notify the parents, guardian or custodian, but must make a report to a child welfare agency providing protective services, to law enforcement or to the district attorney.

This bill is a substantial revision of the laws dealing with juvenile criminal and civil cases. This legislation mandates that a prosecutor from the DA's office bring all charges in juvenile cases. Each juvenile charged will have a right to attorney and cannot waive counsel until they have met with an attorney.  The requirement for the Circuit Public Defender to establish a Juvenile Division has been struck from the statute, putting the responsibility for a public defender in juvenile cases back to the counties.  A new continuum of services for juveniles will also be required. 

This bill updates some of the code sections referenced in the retirement code relating to county retirement systems that allow probation and intake employees from the Department of Juvenile Justice.

This bill changes the maximum number of days that a child may serve in a youth development center or a treatment program provided by the Department of Juvenile Justice or the juvenile court when the child has committed an offense that would be a felony or misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature involving bodily harm if committed by an adult.