Mississippi official calls special session for July 15 on youth records
A Mississippi official called a special legislative session to convene July 15 at 3 p.m. to address expired statutes on disclosure of youth records and multiple related lawsuits, according to a Facebook post.
The post said the session was necessitated by the June 30 expiration of statutes governing disclosure of youth records and by ongoing litigation. Lawmakers and advocates have raised concerns about gaps in the legal framework that affect children involved in abuse, neglect and delinquency proceedings.
The official said House and Senate leaders have agreed on a proposed solution intended to create a better system for children who are abused and neglected as well as those facing delinquency proceedings. The plan would, for the first time, give children and families access to full-time judges and move the state toward a uniform youth court system statewide, the post said.
The post expressed hope for bipartisan support and thanked Speaker White, Representative Horan, Lieutenant Governor Hosemann, Senator Wiggins, Senator Hopson and other legislators involved in negotiations.
Youth court systems typically handle cases involving child welfare and juvenile delinquency; changes to statutes can affect how quickly cases proceed and the consistency of rulings. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
