Committee backs technical fix to remove unintended juvenile crime created last year

Janet Stocco (OPLA) summarized LD 2126, explaining that legislative changes in the prior session broadened juvenile jurisdiction in a way that inadvertently created a new juvenile crime for willful failure to pay a fine or to comply with a court order. The Department of Corrections asked the committee to undo that unintended effect.

Jill O’Brien, director of government affairs for DOC, told the committee the intent was to align juvenile and adult authorities and that the mistaken language created an enforcement mechanism that was not intended. OPLA and DOC representatives explained that juvenile contempt authority and existing juvenile procedural remedies remain available for enforcement of juvenile court orders, and that LD 2126 would correct a drafting error. The Maine Prosecutors Association submitted testimony in support.

The committee moved and voted ought-to-pass; the roll-call vote was recorded and the committee will report the bill to the floor.