SJR78 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Vivian Davis FiguresSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Task Force on At-Risk Children, created

Summary

The bill creates the Alabama Task Force on At-Risk Children to study and recommend ways to reduce youth involvement in truancy, delinquency, and the juvenile/criminal justice systems through better education, rehabilitation, and mental health services.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a task force made up of representatives from various state agencies, courts, education organizations, and other stakeholders. The group will study a wide range of issues and potential solutions, including rehabilitative and educational services, aftercare, reentry, and preventive mental health strategies, in collaboration with universities. The task force must report its findings to the Legislature by the 15th day of the 2017 Regular Session, and members are compensated for approved expenses and meetings.

Who It Affects

• At-risk children and youth who are truants, delinquent, or in the juvenile/criminal justice systems, who stand to benefit from improved services, programs, and reentry support.
• State and local agencies, educators, judges, law enforcement, and policymakers (e.g., Department of Youth Services, Department of Human Resources, Department of Mental Health, Department of Education, courts, sheriffs, and the Governor’s office), who will coordinate appointments, develop and implement recommendations, and oversee funding and reforms.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama Task Force on At-Risk Children with a diverse list of members from multiple state agencies, courts, and organizations.
• Mandates collaboration with Alabama universities and colleges to study rehabilitative and education services, aftercare, reentry, mental health services, and prevention strategies.
• Requires the task force to identify legislative or administrative solutions to help at-risk youth and to reduce their involvement in juvenile and criminal systems.
• Tasks the group with reporting findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Legislature by the fifteenth day of the 2017 Regular Session.
• Provides for reimbursement of nonlegislative members' expenses and per diem/ travel for legislative members, funded through legislative appropriations.
• Appoints the chair by the Governor after all task force appointments are made, and requires diversity in gender, race, and geography among members.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Resolutions, Legislative