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Minutes for HB2325 - Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Short Title
Authorizing judges to commit juvenile offenders to detention for technical violations of probation, increasing the cumulative detention limit for juvenile offenders and increasing criminal penalties for juvenile offenders who use a firearm in the commission of an offense or who are repeat offenders.
Minutes Content for Fri, Feb 14, 2025
Chair asked Jason Thompson, Revisor to give overview of the bill. (Attachment 2)
Sheriff Jeffrey Easter on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff's Association. Law enforcement and Judges have very little tools to hold juvenile offenders accountable, and we support this bill to accomplish holding juvenile offenders accountable for crimes with possession of a firearm. (Attachment 3)
Steve Howe, District Attorney of Johnson County, Kansas (Attachment 4) Our high risk juvenile offenders know that there's little that can be done to them for repeated technical violations. This bill will give the probation officers and the district court the ability for repeat violators to be held accountable.
Matt Stephens, Vice President of Advocacy for Saint Francis Ministries. This bill would provide juvenile offenders with conduct disorders consistent clear consequences and structured interventions, and I request your support for passage of this bill. (Attachment 5)
Marc Bennett, District Attorney, Eighteenth Judicial District on behalf of Ron Paschal, Deputy District Attorney, Juvenile Division, Sedgwick County Kansas (Attachment 6) Mr. Paschal and his agency strongly support the risk assessment tool score to order direct placement of offender in juvenile detention facility for greater public safety.
Kristelle Hedrick, CEO Children's Alliance of Kansas described account of foster parent and child that brought a gun into foster home and robbed the foster parent at gunpoint. Law enforcement contacted shortly after robbery and juveniles apprehended, taken to juvenile jail and released back to foster parent in a couple of hours. Our workforce and caregivers are trained to support kids who have experienced traumas, but not equipped to deal with youth with guns committing felony crimes against people. The Children's Alliance would ask for your support for the bill.
Lamot Love, CEO of Life is Foundation, and owner of five residential facilities for juvenile offenders. Voiced concern of present juvenile system being reactive instead of proactive and not providing therapeutic care for juvenile offenders to break cycle of poverty, crime and sometimes death.
Megan Milner, Deputy Secretary, Kansas Department of Corrections. Her department is opposed to the bill because her department is in process to provide therapeutic services to this juvenile offender population.(Attachment 7)
Lara Blake Bors, Defense Attorney, Legislative Subcommittee Chair Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee. Opposes the bill. She supported allowing the judge and the prosecutor and the defense attorney to be able to make and have discretion when they are the ones with boots on the ground, looking at the facts of the case. This bill needs more guidance and guardrails to not cause unintended consequences for the youth of Kansas and would recommend that after careful consideration and discussion changes to current laws happen after a more statewide evaluation be conducted. (Attachment 8)
Mike Fonkert, Deputy Director with Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. Mike Fonkert opposed the bill and urged the committee to deeply consider changes to the youth justice system. (Attachment 9)
Captain Travis Rakestraw, Topeka Police Department Written only
Chair closed hearing on HB2325.
Meeting adjourned 3:15 pm
