1999 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 233 – Juvenile offender, custody, support

HOUSE BILL NO. 233

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H0233................................by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
JUVENILE OFFENDER - Amends existing law to allow the Department of Juvenile
Corrections to contract with the Department of Health and Welfare for
services relating to child support; and to provide that the Department of
Juvenile Corrections may establish and enforce child support to reimburse
the department for costs incurred for the care and support of juveniles
committed to its custody.

02/12    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/15    Rpt prt - to Jud

Bill Text


H0233


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fifth Legislature                 First Regular Session - 1999
                                                                        

                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 233

                     BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

 1                                        AN ACT
 2    RELATING TO JUVENILE CORRECTIONS; AMENDING  SECTION  20-504,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO
 3        ALLOW  THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS TO CONTRACT WITH THE DEPART-
 4        MENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE FOR SERVICES RELATING  TO  CHILD  SUPPORT;  AND
 5        AMENDING  SECTION  20-524,  IDAHO  CODE, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
 6        JUVENILE CORRECTIONS MAY ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE CHILD SUPPORT TO  REIMBURSE
 7        THE  DEPARTMENT  FOR  COSTS INCURRED FOR THE CARE AND SUPPORT OF JUVENILES
 8        COMMITTED TO ITS CUSTODY.

 9    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

10        SECTION 1.  That Section 20-504, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
11    amended to read as follows:

12        20-504.  DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS. (1) The depart-
13    ment  shall  have  jurisdiction over all juveniles committed to it pursuant to
14    chapter 5, title 20, Idaho Code.
15        (2)  The department is responsible for all juvenile offenders committed to
16    it by the courts of this state for  confinement.  The  department  shall  also
17    establish  minimum standards for detention, care and certification of approved
18    detention facilities based upon such standards.
19        (3)  The department shall establish and administer all secure  residential
20    facilities including all state juvenile corrections centers.
21        (4)  The  department shall make all decisions regarding placement of juve-
22    nile offenders committed to it in the most appropriate program for supervision
23    and treatment.
24        (5)  The department shall establish an observation and assessment  process
25    for juvenile offenders committed to it by a court.
26        (6)  The department shall establish liaison services with the counties.
27        (7)  The  department  may  establish and operate work programs designed to
28    employ juvenile offenders in public service work projects for the  purpose  of
29    reimbursing victims of the juvenile offender's delinquent behavior.
30        (8)  The department is hereby authorized and may place juveniles committed
31    to  it  pursuant  to  this  chapter  on a ranch, in a forestry camp or similar
32    facility for care and for work, if possible; provided, that the person, agency
33    or association operating the facility has been approved and has otherwise com-
34    plied with all applicable state and local laws. A juvenile placed  in  a  for-
35    estry  camp  or  similar  facility may be required to work on fire prevention,
36    forestation and reforestation, recreational works, forest roads and  on  other
37    works on or off the grounds of such facility and may be paid wages.
38        (9)  The department shall establish minimum standards for the operation of
39    all  private residential and nonresidential facilities and programs which pro-
40    vide services to juvenile offenders. The standards shall be no more  stringent
41    than standards imposed for facilities operated by the department or for deten-
42    tion facilities operated by counties.
43        (10) The  department shall assist counties in establishing meaningful pro-


                                      2

 1    grams for juveniles who either have been found to come under  the  purview  of
 2    this  chapter  or who have had their case informally diverted pursuant to sec-
 3    tion 20-511, Idaho Code, and who have not been committed to the legal  custody
 4    of the department.
 5        (11) The  department  shall  have  authority  to adopt such administrative
 6    rules pursuant to the procedures provided in chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code,
 7    as are deemed necessary or appropriate for the functioning of  the  department
 8    and the implementation and administration of this act.
 9        (12)   The  department  shall have the authority to contract with any
10    public or private entity for the establishment and enforcement of support  for
11    juveniles committed to the department of juvenile corrections.
12        (13)  Subject to any competitive bidding requirements otherwise pro-
13    vided by law, the department shall have authority to enter into contracts with
14    a  private  association or organization or other public agency or organization
15    for the inspection and licensure of detention facilities.
16        (1  3    4  ) Subject  to  any  competitive  bidding
17    requirements otherwise provided by law, the department shall have authority to
18    enter into contracts with private providers or local governmental agencies for
19    the confinement or other permanent or temporary placement of juveniles commit-
20    ted to its custody.
21        (1 4  5 ) The department  shall  have  authority  to
22    apply  for,  receive and expend federal funds, subject to appropriation by the
23    legislature.  The department shall have authority to establish guidelines  for
24    and administer the distribution of state block grant funds to counties for the
25    employment  and  training  of  county probation officers, the establishment of
26    secure and nonsecure residential or nonresidential facilities and programs for
27    juvenile offenders. The department may require that a county provide  matching
28    funds  as  a condition of receiving a block grant. The department, by rule, in
29    cooperation with the courts and the counties, shall  establish  uniform  stan-
30    dards,  criteria  and  operating procedures for county juvenile probation ser-
31    vices, as well as qualifications for and standards for the training  of  juve-
32    nile probation officers.
33        (1  5  6 ) All of the powers and duties imposed upon
34    or granted to the director of the department of  health  and  welfare  or  the
35    board  of health and welfare pursuant to chapter 18, title 16, Idaho Code, are
36    hereby transferred to the director of the department of juvenile  corrections.
37    The  director  shall have all such powers and duties as may have been or could
38    have been exercised by his predecessors in law with  respect  to  chapter  18,
39    title  16,  Idaho  Code,  and shall be the successor in law to all contractual
40    obligations entered into by his predecessor in law.

41        SECTION 2.  That Section 20-524, Idaho Code, be, and the  same  is  hereby
42    amended to read as follows:

43        20-524.  SUPPORT  OF  JUVENILE -- REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS INCURRED -- PAY-
44    MENT OF DETENTION COSTS. (1)  Upon the commitment of a  juvenile  to  the
45    custody  of  the  department,  a debt is created which is due and owing to the
46    department by the parent, guardian or other persons legally obligated to  care
47    for  and  support  the juvenile. The debt arises from the date the juvenile is
48    committed to the department and continues until the juvenile is released  from
49    the  custody of the department. The debt is equal to the support obligation as
50    subsequently determined by a court pursuant to the Idaho child support  guide-
51    lines. The debt shall not exceed the amount expended by the department for the
52    care  and  support  of the juvenile. The department shall be subrogated to the
53    right of the juvenile or the person having the care, custody  and  control  of


                                      3

 1    the  juvenile  to  prosecute or maintain any support action existing under the
 2    laws of the state of Idaho to obtain reimbursement of the moneys expended  for
 3    the  care and support of the juvenile. If an order already exists for the sup-
 4    port of the juvenile, the department shall be subrogated to the  debt  created
 5    by  such  order.  When  a  written  agreement  for payment of support has been
 6    entered into by the department and the responsible parent, guardian  or  other
 7    legally obligated person, the debt shall be limited to the amount provided for
 8    in the agreement.
 9        (2)    Whenever  a  juvenile is placed by the court in custody 
10    other than that of the juvenile's parents, guardian or  custodian,  after  due
11    notice  to the parent, guardian or other persons legally obligated to care for
12    and support the juvenile, and after a hearing   of  the  department
13    of  juvenile  corrections  ,  the  court may order  and decree that
14     the parent or other legally obligated person  shall    
15    to   pay  in such a manner as the court may direct a reasonable sum
16    that will cover in whole or in part  the  department for the 
17    support and treatment of the juvenile . If the parent  or  other  legally
18    obligated  person  willfully  fails  or refuses to pay such sum, the court may
19    proceed against him for contempt, or the order may be filed and shall have the
20    effect of a civil judgment   pursuant to the  Idaho  child  support
21    guidelines .
22        ( 2  3 )  If the juvenile is detained, the court may
23    order  that  the parents or other legal guardian of the juvenile contribute to
24    the costs of detention in an amount to be set by the court. The order  may  be
25    filed  and  shall have the effect of a civil judgment. It is the intent of the
26    legislature that foster parents or a parent or legal guardian receiving public
27    assistance relating to that juvenile should not  benefit  from  the  continued
28    receipt  of  payments  or  public  assistance from any state or federal agency
29    while the juvenile is detained.  The  department  of  health  and  welfare  is
30    directed to promulgate a rule implementing this intent.
31        (  3  4 )  All child support orders shall notify the
32    obligor that the order will be enforced  by  income  withholding  pursuant  to
33    chapter 12, title 32, Idaho Code.
34        (  4   5 )  Failure to include these provisions does
35    not affect the validity of the  support  order  or  decree.  The  court  shall
36    require  that  the  social security numbers of both the obligor and obligee be
37    included in the order or decree.
38        ( 5  6 )  If the juvenile is committed to  the  cus-
39    tody  of  the  department of juvenile corrections pursuant to chapter 5, title
40    20, Idaho Code, the department shall reimburse the county for  the  period  of
41    time  in  excess  of  five  (5)  days during which the juvenile is housed at a
42    detention facility. The time period shall  begin  to  run  from  the  day  the
43    department  receives  a copy of the order of commitment executed by the court.
44    Facsimile transmissions of the order are acceptable.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                              RS08951C1It is necessary to include a clarification of the legal
responsibility of parents to provide reimbursement for the cost of
treating their child while she/he is in the custody of the
Department of Juvenile Corrections, and that the provisions of I.C.
 20-524 can be pursued administratively as a debt to the
Department.

                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                            FISCAL NOTE
This proposed legislation will have a positive fiscal impact of
unknown proportions.





CONTACT:  Brent D. Reinke, Director
        Department of Juvenile Corrections
        (208)334-5100, ext 102
        

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/ FISCAL NOTE      Bill No.     H 233