Bill > LD740

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a process allowing a law enforcement officer who has probable cause to believe that a juvenile has committed a juvenile crime, or a juvenile community corrections officer to whom a juvenile has been referred, to refer the juvenile to the Department of Health and Human Services for a juvenile needs assessment designed to identify the supports and services needed to promote child and family well-being and actions to be taken to address the medical, educational, social therapeutic or other services needed by the juvenile and the juvenile's family. The assessment must be conducted by persons with comprehensive training and must be completed within 60 days following referral of the juvenile to the department. If a juvenile needs assessment was completed for the juvenile within the 6 months prior to referral, the department must provide that report to the law enforcement officer or juvenile community corrections officer. The bill also requires that if the assessment reveals that the juvenile has complex behavioral health needs and is at risk or is already involved in multiple service systems, the department must refer the juvenile and the juvenile's family to high-fidelity wraparound care coordination services. The bill also establishes requirements for issuing petitions regarding a juvenile when that petition is being issued prior to or in conjunction with a referral for a juvenile needs assessment and following a juvenile needs assessment. The bill also establishes criteria for the use of the report and recommendations based on the juvenile needs assessment in adjudicatory hearings and stipulates that statements made by the juvenile or the juvenile's parents, guardian or legal custodian related to the juvenile needs assessment are not admissible as evidence in adjudicatory hearings. The bill also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an implementation stakeholder group to assist in the implementation of the juvenile needs assessment and train relevant persons and entities on all matters related to the juvenile needs assessment. The portion of the bill establishing the implementation stakeholder group takes effect upon enactment of this legislation, and the portions of the bill establishing the juvenile needs assessment become effective January 1, 2026.

Committee Categories

Grayson Lookner (D)*,  Rick Bennett (I),  Michael Brennan (D),  Drew Gattine (D),  Lori Gramlich (D),  Tavis Hasenfus (D),  Mark Lawrence (D),  Julia McCabe (D),  Nina Milliken (D),  Marianne Moore (R), 

Carried over, in the same posture, to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 800. (on 06/25/2025)

Official Document