Bill > S1532

This bill revises how counties and the state share the financial responsibility for juvenile detention care, aiming to clarify and adjust the existing system. It redefines "detention care" to include secure detention and respite beds for juveniles accused of domestic violence. The bill introduces the concept of "actual cost" for detention care, which is the total amount spent by the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) minus any funds received from grants. It also defines "fiscally constrained county" as a county facing economic challenges or with limited tax revenue, and "participating county" as one that is not fiscally constrained and doesn't provide its own detention care. Under the new provisions, participating counties will be responsible for paying a share of the actual cost of detention care, calculated based on their proportion of juvenile detention days. The state will cover 50% of the actual cost for participating counties, all costs for fiscally constrained counties, and costs for juveniles residing out of state. The DJJ will now be responsible for determining the actual costs and each county's share at the end of each fiscal year and will inform counties of their financial obligations by August 1st annually, with monthly payments due thereafter. The bill also removes the previous distinction for "predisposition" costs, meaning the shared responsibility now applies to the entire detention period.