Juvenile Facility Oversight Committee Approved
Senators voted March 23 to reauthorize an oversight committee for the state’s troubled youth rehabilitation and treatment centers.
In 2020, lawmakers created the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center Special Oversight Committee of the Legislature in response to a crisis situation at YRTC Geneva the year before. The nine-member committee issued a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature and terminated Dec. 31, 2020.
La Vista Sen. John Arch introduced Legislative Resolution 25 on behalf of the Health and Human Services Committee. The bill reauthorizes the oversight committee with a termination date of Dec. 31, 2021. Arch said that the committee didn’t have enough time to perform its duties because of the pandemic.
“Nebraska has made some significant strides toward improving our YRTC system in the last couple of years,” Arch said. “However, we know from the events in August 2019 that a lack of oversight can undo a lot of progress in a short amount of time.”
The oversight committee may hold hearings, request and receive reports from DHHS and issue subpoenas.
Lawmakers approved LR 25 on a 32-0 vote.
The Unicameral Information Office is operated by the Clerk of the Legislature. Find additional coverage at update.legislature.ne.gov.
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