The Senate Judiciary Committee heard Sen. Young’s SB 170 on pharmacy robbery. The bill adds a provision that a juvenile court does not have jurisdiction over an individual for an alleged robbery that was committed in a pharmacy or in a retailer containing a pharmacy if the individual was at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age at the time of the alleged robbery.
The original version of the bill also specified that a juvenile court does not have jurisdiction over an individual at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age if the individual allegedly committed a misdemeanor offense of either carrying a handgun without a license or an offense under the children and firearms statute, but the Committee adopted an amendment removing this provision, reverting to current law that a juvenile court does not have jurisdiction over these offenses if they are charged as felonies.
Testimony in favor of the bill was received from Sen. Grooms, the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, and representatives of pharmacy and retail associations. Testimony opposing the bill and favoring retention of the juvenile court’s jurisdiction over these offenses and of the juvenile judge’s discretion to waive jurisdiction in appropriate cases was heard from the Public Defender Council, a Marion County juvenile public defender, and representatives of Marion County community organizations. The bill passed as amended 6-4.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/bills/senate/170