Bill > SB2771

This bill revises several aspects of Mississippi's youth court and legal representation procedures. The most significant change modifies the timeline for permanency hearings for children who have been adjudicated as abused or neglected, reducing the mandatory hearing interval from 120 days to every three months after the initial adjudication or child removal. The bill also expands the Office of the State Public Defender's authority to represent youth in delinquency and child in need of supervision proceedings, which was previously not explicitly stated. Additionally, the legislation clarifies training requirements for attorneys representing children, mandating that they complete annual juvenile justice training approved by the Mississippi Office of State Public Defender and the Mississippi Commission on Continuing Legal Education. The bill also increases the number of cases an attorney can handle per year (from 5 to 10) while remaining exempt from the annual training requirement. These changes aim to improve legal representation and oversight in youth court proceedings, ensuring more frequent review of children's cases and more consistent legal training for attorneys working in this specialized area of law. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Health and Social Services, Justice

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/SB/SB2771.xml