Juvenile Diversion Bill Being Introduced in Florida Senate Session 2021
Please provide a one page summary of this legislation, which was introduced today. I got word from a GOP friend, Christian Minor, that Florida State Senator Perry is going to be pushing this strongly. It appears to align with our platform. Can you please do a quick summary that includes:
1) substance of bill
2) champions of bill (elected and outside groups in Florida except for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition because they already support it)
3) impact on returning citizens and families
4) likelihood of passage
5) alignment with platform priorities
Not looking for a book, just one page with your best assessment.
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/274
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Juvenile Diversion Bill Being Introduced in Florida Senate Session 2021
Name
Institutional Affiliation
The Brief Legislation Assessment of SB 274: Juvenile Diversion Program Expunction
This bill relates to the juvenile diversion program expunction. It would be an amendment to S.943.0582, F.S. that required the department of law Enforcement to erase the non-judicial arrest records for particular minors that have completed the diversion program for any offence successfully instead of only the misdemeanour offence. It is also looking to amend the S.985.126, F.S by authorizing that the minor who has completed the diversion program successfully for any offence instead of only the first-time misdemeanour offence lawfully deny or choose not to acknowledge certain information availing an effective date.
The Department of Juvenile Justice will be responsible for implementing particular programs such as accountability and program support, prevention, intake and detention, residential and correctional facilities, probation and community corrections and administration. This bill will positively affect the returning citizens and families as these youth will be redirected into opportunities for programming, rehabilitation and restoration. Confidentiality in the non-judicial records will ensure that the chances that also include education and employment for the young individuals are not jeopardized, increasing the possibility of them becoming productive, contributing and autonomous individuals. This growth subsequently benefits their families and society in general.
The bill is expected to take effect on 1 July 2021 hence the Florida Senate did make it law, and it is expected to become operational on that particular date. The Juvenile Justice system is focussed in ensuring that those who go through their processes become better productive individuals. The non-confidentiality would lead to unwarranted adverse impacts, yet the minor successfully completing the diversion program meant that further delinquency proceedings would not happen. The legislature hebe finds it a public requirement that criminal history records for these minors that are expunction recipients due to successfully completing the diversion program remain confidential and exempted from public records’ requirements.
References
Senator Perry. Florida Senate – 2021 SB 274. Retrieved from https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/274/BillText/Filed/PDF
The Professional Staff of the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability. (2020). The Florida Senate: BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT. Retrieved from https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/1292/Analyses/2020s01292.go.PDF
