SB265 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Juvenile courts, Department of Youth Services responsible for housing and caring for child ordered to be transferred to custody of Department of Youth Services, Department of Youth Services to reimburse county detention facility for costs incurred under certain circumstances.

Summary

SB265 requires the Department of Youth Services to reimburse counties for housing a child after a court orders transfer to DYS custody, with defined acceptance timeframes and some updates to current law language.

What This Bill Does

If a court orders a child to be placed in DYS custody, DYS must accept the child for commitment within a defined number of business days after the order; if DYS fails to accept within that window, DYS must reimburse the county for detention costs incurred afterward (including medical, dental, and mental health costs). The bill also sets timelines and procedures around notifying the court, interviewing the child, and determining placement, and it includes non-substantive, technical updates to align the code with current style.

Who It Affects

• Counties and county detention facilities would be affected because they may be reimbursed by the Department of Youth Services for daily detention costs once custody is transferred to DYS, if DYS does not accept the child within the specified timeframe.
• The Department of Youth Services and the broader juvenile justice system would be affected by new requirements to accept custody within set deadlines and to reimburse counties, as well as by required coordination with the juvenile court, probation officers, and county children’s services facilitation teams.

Key Provisions

• When a court transfers legal custody of a child to the Department of Youth Services, DYS must accept the child for commitment within a defined number of business days after the order is received; if not accepted in time, DYS must reimburse the county for detention costs incurred after the deadline (including medical, dental, and mental health costs).
• The standard acceptance window is generally 7–12 business days, with a temporary extension to 16 business days during October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.
• Detention facilities must notify the juvenile court intake or probation officer when a status offender is held for violating a valid court order, and certain procedures (interview within 24 hours, written assessment within 48 hours, and potential hearings) must occur to determine disposition and placement.
• The bill includes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update existing code language to current style.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Courts & Judges