The House Judiciary Committee heard SB 596, sponsored by Rep. Schaibley, creating juvenile court voluntary preventative programs. The bill provides that the Indiana Supreme Court may establish a two-year pilot program to assist juvenile court judges in five Indiana counties in providing voluntary preventative programs for at-risk children. It also requires nonjudicial state agencies to assist the Indiana Supreme Court in the implementation of the pilot program. The bill requires the Office of Judicial Administration to report to the legislative council specified information regarding the pilot program.
Hamilton County Judge Steve Nation and former Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen testified in favor of the bill. Justin Forkner, Chief Administrative Officer of the Indiana Supreme Court, testified that the Supreme Court likes the program, but that it takes a lot of staff resources and funding which is not accounted for in the bill. He suggested perhaps that the Children’s Commission may be a better outlet for running the pilot. The bill passed 12-0.
Read the bill here: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/senate/596