AN ACT relating to the youthful offender program; amending the program name, eligibility requirements and programming emphases; authorizing the use of peer specialists; providing a definition; and providing for an effective date.
Education
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Judiciary
Last action
2021-02-08
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2021
Plain English Breakdown
The official summary does not explicitly state that the bill changes the name of the program, though it is implied in the context.
Youthful Offender Transition Program Changes
The bill changes the eligibility age for the Youthful Offender Transition Program to thirty years old and adds new requirements like using peer specialists, emphasizing education and structured programming.
What This Bill Does
Increases the maximum age for joining the program from twenty-five to thirty years old.
Allows trained inmates called 'peer specialists' to support other participants in the program.
Adds a focus on education and structured activities as part of the program's requirements.
Who It Names or Affects
Inmates who are between twenty-five and thirty years old and want to join the program.
Terms To Know
Peer specialists
Trained inmates who help other participants in the program.
Structured programming
Activities that are planned and organized as part of the program.
Limits and Unknowns
The bill does not specify how many peer specialists will be used or what their training will include.
It is unclear if all inmates who meet the new age requirement will automatically qualify for the program.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for reporting on the use of peer specialists in the youthful offender program and clarifies their role within the program.
Adds a requirement for the department of corrections to report on the number, training, and use of peer specialists by December 1, 2021.
Specifies that peer specialists cannot have direct supervision over other inmates.
The amendment text does not provide details about what specific outcomes or metrics will be reported for the youthful offender transition program.
Plain English: The amendment requires a report to be submitted by the Department of Corrections on the use of peer specialists and outcomes of the youthful offender transition program.
Adds a requirement for the Department of Corrections to submit a report on the number, training, and use of peer specialists in the youthful offender program.
Includes reporting on the outcomes of the youthful offender transition program.
The amendment does not specify what constitutes 'outcomes' or how they should be measured.
It is unclear if there are existing definitions for 'peer specialists' that this report will follow.
Bill History
2021-02-08LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 5
2021-02-08Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0003
2021-02-04Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0003
2021-02-03House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0003
2021-02-03LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0003
2021-02-03Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 26-2-2-0-0
2021-02-02Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2021-02-01Senate
S COW:Passed
2021-02-01Senate
S Placed on General File
2021-02-01Senate
S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2021-01-29Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary
2021-01-29Senate
S Received for Introduction
2021-01-29House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 55-3-2-0-0
2021-01-28House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2021-01-27House
H COW:Passed
2021-01-27House
H Placed on General File
2021-01-27House
H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2021-01-12House
H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary
2021-01-12House
H Received for Introduction
2020-12-29LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Official Summary Text
Bill Summary - 21LSO-0079
Bill No.:
HB0034
Effective:
7/1/2021 12:00:00 AM
LSO No.:
21LSO-0079
Enrolled Act No.:
HEA No. 0003
Chapter No.:
5
Prime Sponsor:
Joint Judiciary Interim Committee
Catch Title:
Youthful offender program-amendments.
Subject:
Youthful offender transition program
Summary/Major Elements:
This act amends the youthful offender transition program as follows:
Increases the age of program eligibility from twenty-five (25) to thirty (30);
Allows for peer specialists to provide positive guided peer support to program participants;
Adds structured programming and education as program emphases;
Renames the program from the youthful offender program to the youthful offender transition program.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.
While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0079
ORIGINAL House
ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0034
ENROLLED ACT NO. 3,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session
AN ACT relating to the youthful offender program; amending the program name, eligibility requirements and programming emphases; authorizing the use of peer specialists; providing a definition; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
.
W.S. 7
‑
13
‑
1001(a) by creating a new paragraph (ii) and by renumbering (ii) as (iii), 7
‑
13
‑
1002(a) by creating a new paragraph (i) and by amending and renumbering (i) and (ii) as (ii) and (iii) and 7
‑
13
‑
1003(a), (b)(intro), (ii), by creating a new paragraph (iv), (c)(i), (ii) and (d) are amended to read:
ARTICLE 10
YOUTHFUL OFFENDER TRANSITION PROGRAM
7
‑
13
‑
1001.
Definitions.
(a)
As used in this article:
(ii)
"Peer specialists" means long
‑
term inmates who have completed certified training and been selected and assigned by the department to provide positive guided peer support to offenders involved in the program under the direction of program staff, provided that peer specialists shall not have direct supervision over other inmates;
(ii)
(iii)
"Reduction of sentence" includes changing a sentence of incarceration to a grant of probation.
7
‑
13
‑
1002.
Sentence reduction for youthful offenders.
(a)
The sentencing court may reduce the sentence of any convicted felon who:
(i)
Is recommended by the sentencing court for placement in the youthful offender transition program;
(i)
(ii)
Is certified by the department as having successfully completed the youthful offender
transition
program under W.S. 7
‑
13
‑
1003; and
(ii)
(iii)
Makes application to the court
for a reduction in sentence
within one (1) year after the individual began serving a sentence of incarceration at a state penal institution.
7
‑
13
‑
1003.
Establishment of program; eligibility; rulemaking authority.
(a)
The department shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations to establish a youthful offender
transition
program for inmates incarcerated in a state penal institution.
(b)
In addition to any other eligibility requirements adopted by the department, an inmate is eligible for
placement in the youthful offender
transition
program only if he:
(ii)
Has not attained the age of
twenty
‑
five (25)
thirty (30)
years;
(iv)
Is able to participate in the structured programming, education, work and physical fitness activities required of program participants in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(c)
The program created by the department shall include:
(i)
Separation of program participants from the general inmate population
except inmates assigned to work in the program as peer specialists
;
(ii)
Emphasis
Emphases
upon
structured programming, education,
work and physical activity
compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act
as a major element of the program.
(d)
Participation by an inmate in the youthful offender
transition
program is a matter of grace and not of right.
Approval of an inmate's participation in the program may be revoked by the department at any time if the inmate fails to comply with program requirements. The inmate shall not have any right to appeal the denial of his participation in the program.
Section 2
.
This act is effective July 1, 2021
.
(END)
1