Bill > S2417

This bill aims to improve transparency, best practices, and outcomes for children and communities by making several changes to existing laws. It introduces the concept of a "civil infraction" as a violation that does not lead to jail time or court-appointed lawyers, and clarifies the definition of a "delinquent child" to exclude civil infractions and local ordinance violations. The bill also modifies rules regarding the use of restraints on juveniles in court, requiring specific findings of immediate risk before they can be applied, and establishes a rebuttable presumption that youth status is a mitigating factor in legal proceedings, potentially leading to modified sentences or early release options for young offenders. Furthermore, it allows for the expungement, or permanent erasure, of juvenile and criminal records for offenses committed before age 18, under certain conditions, and creates a juvenile justice data task force to recommend improvements for coordinating and modernizing data systems across state agencies and courts. Finally, it grants prisoners serving life sentences for crimes committed before age 18 the right to appointed counsel and expert funds at parole hearings, and revises rules about when parents and children can be compelled to testify against each other in court.