Mississippi Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Youth Court Reform Package
Lawmakers are weighing more full-time judges, two state-run juvenile jails and $29.5 million in new spending after youth court laws expired.
- On Wednesday, the Mississippi Legislature reconvened in Jackson for a special session called by Gov. Tate Reeves to overhaul the state's youth court system, which lost enabling laws and funding after the regular session ended.
- Only 24 of 82 counties utilize full-time judges for youth court cases; the remaining counties rely on 'part-time referees,' a structure Sen. Brice Wiggins, a Republican from Pascagoula, argued is failing children.
- The 52-member Senate passed the overhaul 25-10 late Wednesday, including $29.5 million in new spending, despite lawmakers having only hours to review the nearly 200-page proposal.
- Following the Senate's vote, the House is expected to take up the legislation on Thursday, though Democratic leaders said their caucus had 'neither seen nor been meaningfully engaged in negotiating' the agreement.
- The bill addresses legal confusion over youth court records by reviving confidentiality measures that previously required the Mississippi Supreme Court to establish temporary rules after state laws expired.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Mississippi Legislature passes youth court overhaul in special session - Daily Leader
When a two-day special session concluded July 16, the Mississippi Legislature had agreed on a plan to overhaul and fund the state’s youth court system. The Senate passed a youth court plan July 15, and the House passed it Thursday. The funding bills have $29.5 million in new spending. The House passed the spending bills early Thursday afternoon, but Republican Rep. Steve Massengill of Hickory Flat held them on a motion to reconsider, which preve…
Special session ends with sweeping youth court reform being sent to governor
After fierce debate among lawmakers in the Mississippi legislature, a proposal to reform the state’s youth court system has been sent to Gov. Tate Reeves, capping a special session. The Senate, in a late Wednesday night vote, sent a sweeping youth court overhaul bill to the House of Representatives. The House Judiciary B Committee first vetted the legislation Thursday morning, where it was given the green light to be assessed by the entire chamb…
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