Commissioners adopt new runaway and 'beyond parental control' ordinances with added protections

TETON COUNTY — The Teton County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 22 to enact new local ordinances addressing juvenile runaway and 'beyond parental control' situations, moving to replace an older enabling statute and incorporate community‑requested protections.

Ryan Godfrey of the county prosecutor’s office said the ordinances are a joint proposal with the sheriff’s office and explained the changes added after public feedback: exceptions for juveniles fleeing unsafe households, an explicit exemption for lawfully emancipated juveniles and repeated language that the local ordinances “do not authorize arrests.” The prosecutor emphasized parts of the language were crafted specifically to avoid criminalizing children who are escaping danger.

Commissioners debated adding a formal warning provision and requested further legal review to ensure law enforcement would not be placed in the position of making judicial determinations in the street. One commissioner said the statutes give law enforcement a tool to locate and return minors who are missing or at immediate risk, citing recent incidents where deputies lacked an enabling local statute to act.

The board moved to adopt and enact the new chapter 8 items in Teton County Code title 4, conditioned on legal staff reviewing public recommendations and returning with suggested amendments. The ordinance takes effect after standard notice and applies to county enforcement processes; the board agreed to assemble stakeholder discussions — including the Family Safety Network and school representatives — to refine the curfew and related language.

What’s next: Legal staff will incorporate public suggestions and review the statute language with law enforcement and community partners; the board signaled it may revisit and amend the ordinances after that process.