2026 -- S 2940 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED

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LC005844/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JUVENILE HEARING BOARDS

     Introduced By: Senators Vargas, LaMountain, Quezada, Bell, DiMario, Urso, Mack,

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and same is hereby created

consisting of nineteen (19) members: one of whom shall be the Chief Judge of the Family Court,

or designee; one of whom shall be the director of the Department of Children, Youth & Families,

or designee; one of whom shall be the Attorney General, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Public Defender, or designee; four (4) of whom shall be members of the Senate, with at least one

member of the minority party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall

be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, or designee; one of

whom shall be the Child Advocate, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of

Rhode Island Kids Count, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of Rhode

Island Community Justice, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the

League of Cities and Towns, or designee; and six (6) current members or coordinators of an

existing Juvenile Hearing Board to be appointed by the President of the Senate.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to study current practices of state and municipal

Juvenile Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2, to identify best

practices, evaluate statewide coordination and board member training opportunities, examine

appropriate methods of data collection and reporting standards, and provide recommendations to

the Senate for revisions to state law.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the President of the Senate, and shall commence in October 2026, organize, and select

one member to serve as chairperson of the commission.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The President of the Senate is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

Senate on or before November 30, 2027, and shall expire on December 31, 2027.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JUVENILE HEARING BOARDS

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     This resolution would create a nineteen (19) member special legislative study

commission whose purpose it would be to study current practices of state and municipal Juvenile

Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2, and who would report back to

the Senate by November 30, 2027, and would expire on December 31, 2027.

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