Bill > S1322

This bill establishes a new system for counties to share the costs of juvenile detention with the state, aiming to resolve past disputes and clarify future responsibilities. Specifically, it requires counties that are not "fiscally constrained" (meaning they are not in a designated rural area of opportunity or do not generate less than $5 million in revenue per mill of property tax) to pay a portion of juvenile detention costs. For the 2016-2017 fiscal year, these counties will collectively pay $42.5 million, with their individual shares determined by their proportion of juvenile detention days. Starting in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and thereafter, these counties will be responsible for 50% of the total shared detention costs, with their individual shares again calculated based on detention days. These payments are to be made in 12 equal monthly installments and must be included in the counties' annual budgets. The bill also requires counties to dismiss any pending legal claims against the state related to past juvenile detention cost sharing and to waive future claims for costs incurred before the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Funds collected from counties will be deposited into a "Shared County/State Juvenile Detention Trust Fund." The state will cover all detention costs for juveniles in fiscally constrained counties and for juveniles residing out of state, as well as detention costs for juveniles housed in state detention centers from counties that provide their own detention care. The bill also makes conforming changes to existing statutes regarding the Juvenile Detention Trust Fund and county compliance with delinquency program requirements, removing outdated terms like "predisposition" and "preadjudication" in relation to juvenile detention. Finally, it appropriates funds to the Department of Juvenile Justice to help implement these new provisions.