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SC H4151
Bill
Status
Engrossed
3/5/2026
Primary Sponsor
Weston Newton
Click for details
AI Summary
- Expands adult criminal court jurisdiction to include 16-year-olds charged with felonies carrying 30+ years imprisonment, first-degree burglary, or attempted murder
- Lowers the threshold for 17-year-olds to be tried as adults by adding drug trafficking offenses (Chapter 23, Title 16) and any felony when the juvenile has one prior felony adjudication or conviction
- Allows solicitors to remand eligible 16 and 17-year-olds back to family court at their discretion; circuit court judges may also remand 16-year-olds after a hearing
- Reduces from two to one the number of prior serious offenses needed before 14-16 year-olds can be bound over to adult court for crimes carrying 10+ year sentences
- Removes "or older" language from statutes governing 14-year-olds, limiting bindover provisions for weapons and drug charges to those aged 14, 15, or 16
Legislative Description
Juveniles
Last Action
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
3/10/2026
Committee Referrals
Judiciary3/10/2026
Judiciary3/5/2025
Full Bill Text
No bill text available