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S2940Aaa
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
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RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and same is hereby created
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consisting of nineteen (19) members: one of whom shall be the Chief Judge of the Family Court,
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or designee; one of whom shall be the director of the Department of Children, Youth & Families,
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or designee; one of whom shall be the Attorney General, or designee; one of whom shall be the
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Public Defender, or designee; four (4) of whom shall be members of the Senate, with at least one
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member of the minority party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall
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be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, or designee; one of
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whom shall be the Child Advocate, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of
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Rhode Island Kids Count, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of Rhode
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Island Community Justice, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the
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League of Cities and Towns, or designee; and six (6) current members or coordinators of an
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existing Juvenile Hearing Board to be appointed by the President of the Senate.
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The purpose of said commission shall be to study current practices of state and municipal
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Juvenile Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2, to identify best
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practices, evaluate statewide coordination and board member training opportunities, examine
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appropriate methods of data collection and reporting standards, and provide recommendations to
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the Senate for revisions to state law.
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Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
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the call of the President of the Senate, and shall commence in October 2026, organize, and select
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one member to serve as chairperson of the commission.
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Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.
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The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
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All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,
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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or
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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.
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The President of the Senate is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters
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for said commission; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the
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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
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commission whose purpose it would be to study current practices of state and municipal Juvenile
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Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2, and who would report back to
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the Senate by November 30, 2027, and would expire on December 31, 2027.
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