Committee adopts amendment and passes bill to restrict outside staffing at juvenile facilities

Senator Rader presented Senate Bill 1805 and asked to take up an amendment. The committee clerk read the amendment, which replaces phrasing to apply to youth 'who are in the custody of' rather than 'operated by' and replaces 'county' with 'entity.' Senator Rader explained the change was prompted by a local lawsuit in which contract employees hampered use of Open Records Act materials because those workers were not full-time employees of the facility.

Rader said the amendment and underlying bill remove the ability for contracting organizations or temporary agencies to supply full- or part-time staff for detention and post-adjudication treatment facilities operated for youth in custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs; instead, facility staff must be hired directly by the facility. The amendment was adopted by voice vote and the committee later recorded a roll-call vote of 12 ayes and 0 nays, after which the chair declared the bill passed.

Supporters framed the measure as restoring public-records access and ensuring accountability in facilities; the author emphasized the change was needed to 'get to the truth' in pending litigation involving contracted staff.