How You Can Help?
Status:
SB 368 has passed out of both House committees–Courts and Criminal Code, and Ways and Means. The bill now proceeds to 2nd and 3rd Reading this week, which is when the entire House will vote on the bill.
Action:
We support this bill as critical legislation to advance youth justice in Indiana. Please share this email with your colleagues and friends, and contact your own state representative to vote for this bill.
Why:
This legislation advances three issues for children: (1) Removal of children from adult jails while awaiting trial in the adult system; (2) Juvenile Competency to Stand Trial, so children with mental illness, disabilities or just too young, do not enter the juvenile justice system in order to access services; and (3) Automatic Expungement of juvenile misdemeanor records so that collateral consequences do not follow children, placing barriers to education, employment, joining the military, housing and other essential aspects of life.
SB 368 Juvenile Justice–authored by Sens. Karen Tallian (D), Jean Breaux (D), Sue Glick (R), and Jim Buck (R)—includes important policies designed to treat children in an age- and developmentally-appropriate manner, confront systemic racism, disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, and protect children in the justice system from dangerous and overly punitive practices. Rep. Wendy McNamara (R), along with Reps. Greg Steuerwald (R), Matt Pierce (D) and Ragen Hatcher (D), are co-sponsors in the House.
There is still time to call or send an email to your Representative today. Also, please take the time to thank those legislators mentioned above who have provided bi-partisan support to move this bill this session.
You can find the name and contact information for your legislator by visiting http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/ or calling (317) 232-9600.
(April 5, 2021)
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