HB 5335 Summary

• Delays implementation of "raise the age" legislation from immediate effect to July 1, 2012, which would have expanded juvenile court jurisdiction to include 16 and 17-year-olds.

• Immediately establishes interim provisions (effective from passage) maintaining age 16 as the upper limit for juvenile court delinquency jurisdiction, with limited exceptions for 16-year-olds who violate serious laws other than infractions, violations, motor vehicle offenses, or municipal ordinances.

• Reinstates age 18 as the upper limit for juvenile delinquency jurisdiction effective July 1, 2012, expanding the definition of "child" to include persons under 18 years of age for delinquency purposes.

• Modifies confession and statement admissibility rules for 16-year-olds effective July 1, 2012, requiring police to make reasonable efforts to contact parents and establishing totality-of-circumstances test for determining admissibility.

• Changes the date when Superior Court will consist of 201 judges from April 1, 2009 to April 1, 2011, and repeals prior "raise the age" provisions scheduled to take effect before the July 1, 2012 implementation date.