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Wyoming Legislature

Committee Meeting Summary of Proceedings

Select Committee on Juveniles

April 30, 2003

Herschler Building, Room 1699

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Meeting Attendance (Present)

Committee Members

Senator John Hanes, Cochairman;

Representative Ed Buchanan, Cochairman;

Senator Ken Decaria;

Representatives George Bagby and Monte Olsen;

Governor's Appointees:

Department of Family Services: Donna Sheen;

Department of Health, Mental Health Division: Dr. Pablo Hernandez, M.D.;

Department of Education: Kathy Wilder;

Attorney General's Office: Dan Wilde;

State Public Defender's Office: Ken Koski;

Wyoming County and Prosecuting Attorney's Association: Scott Sargent;

Court Improvement Project: Tara Ackerman (for the Hon. Nena James);

Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs: Ric Paul;

State Advisory Panel on Juvenile Justice: John Frentheway.

Legislative Service Office

John Rivera, Senior Staff Attorney, and Mike Causey, Staff Attorney.

Others Present

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Meeting Attendance (Absent)

Committee Members

Department of Health, Substance Abuse Division: Dr. Diane Galloway, Ph.D.

Written Meeting Materials and Handouts

All meeting materials and handouts provided to the Committee by the Legislative Service Office (LSO), public officials, lobbyists, and the public are referenced in the Meeting Materials Index, attached to the minutes. These materials are on file at the LSO and are part of the official record of the meeting. 

Call To Order

Cochairman Hanes called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

Review of Select Committee Tasks

Cochairman Hanes reviewed the legislation that authorized the formation and prescribed the duties of the Select Committee.  Cochairman Hanes then requested each member of the Committee to introduce himself, and each member proceeded to provide the Committee with a brief biography and statement of interests and initial positions.  Ms. Donna Sheen asked if it would be appropriate to read a letter received from Mr. Rodger McDaniel, which was then read to the Committee without objection (see Appendix 3). 

Cochairman Hanes made a recommendation that the Committee be divided into three subcommittees, each focusing on a separate topic for potential legislation.  The Committee agreed, and Cochairman Hanes requested that each member of the Committee provide a list of the two subcommittees that each member would prefer to serve upon, and the subcommittees were formed (see Appendix 5).  It was then determined that each subcommittee would meet approximately three times, and the full committee would be expected to meet approximately two additional times.  Mr. Ken Koski asked whether monies would be available to pay for any experts or other persons needed for the subcommittees, and Cochairman Hanes advised that there might be funds for such experts. 

The Committee then received notebooks provided by Ms. Donna Sheen (see Appendix 4).  Cochairman Hanes explained the purpose and organization of the notebooks. 

Public Comment

Representative Owen Petersen thanked the Committee for its work and introduced a constituent, Ms. Eden Walling.  Ms Walling then proceeded to advise the Committee of her personal experiences with the juvenile justice system as it exists in Wyoming.  Representative Petersen also told the Committee that he serves as a guardian ad litem in Uinta County.  Representative Petersen advised that the family courts in other jurisdictions with which he is familiar seem to work well. 

Ms. Donna Sheen made a presentation concerning the work the 2002 Title 14 Review Subcommittee had done with regard to certain pieces of legislation, notably 2003 Senate File 29.  Committee members then expressed their individual concerns and observations about the previous approach and how this Committee's approach should differ or remain similar.  Ms. Sheen also detailed the topics that each of the three subcommittees would examine. 

The Committee then adjourned to form into subcommittees to determine tentative schedules for subcommittee meetings (available on the LSO website).

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Cochairman Hanes adjourned the meeting of the Committee at 2:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Senator John Hanes, Cochairman                                  Representative Ed Buchanan, Cochairman