2023 -- H 6198

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- FAMILY COURT

     Introduced By: Representatives Caldwell, Speakman, Donovan, Cortvriend, Edwards,
O'Brien, Knight, Craven, and McEntee

     Date Introduced: March 24, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 8-10-23.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-10 entitled "Family

Court" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     8-10-23.1. Statewide juvenile hearing board.

     (a) The chief judge of the family court shall appoint a statewide juvenile hearing board

coordinator who is qualified by education, training, previous experience in professional social

welfare, personality, character, and special aptitude for the work, to serve at the pleasure of the

chief judge. The juvenile hearing board coordinator shall provide education, training, data

collection and analysis, coordination, and assistance to cities and towns in the establishment and

maintenance of juvenile hearing boards and teen courts. Juvenile hearing boards and/or teen courts

shall report any data deemed necessary by the family court to perform the functions of the juvenile

hearing board coordinator. No juvenile hearing board or teen court in the State of Rhode Island

shall hear, or dispose of offenses that constitute felony offenses if committed by an adult, except

by the express written consent of the chief justice of the family court; nor shall any juvenile hearing

board or teen court hear or dispose of any offense which has been amended from a felony offense

to a misdemeanor offense, except by the express written consent of the chief justice of the family

court. Juveniles, wherever they may live, upon a decision to refer the juvenile to the juvenile

hearing board or teen court, shall be referred to the hearing board or teen court in the city or town

where the offense was committed; provided, however, if the city or town does not have a hearing

board or teen court, the juvenile shall be referred to the hearing board or teen court where the

juvenile resides. The Statewide hearing board coordinator is responsible for setting up a statewide

community service program which may be utilized by any hearing board or teen court.

     (b) The position of statewide juvenile hearing board coordinator is a pilot program which

shall commence on July 1, 1998 and terminate on June 30, 2001, unless extended by the general

assembly.

     (c) The juvenile hearing board may order a juvenile to attend a rehabilitative driving course

operated under the jurisdiction of a college or university accredited by the State of Rhode Island if

the circumstances of the offense indicate these programs would be beneficial to the juvenile. An

order to attend a course may also include a provision to pay reasonable tuition for the course. The

order shall contain findings of fact and a copy shall be submitted by the board to the chief magistrate

of the traffic tribunal. Failure to comply with an order of attendance, after notice and hearing, shall

result in a show cause hearing conducted before the traffic tribunal to determine whether grounds

exist for the suspension or revocation of a person's license or registration. Notice and hearings

before the traffic tribunal shall be pursuant to the provisions of chapter 41.1 of title 31.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- FAMILY COURT

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     This act would give statewide juvenile hearing boards the authority to refer a juvenile

offender to a rehabilitative driving course, as part of a disposition of an offense before the board.

The order may be enforced by the traffic tribunal.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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