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June 25, 2003
UW Outreach Building
Casper, Wyoming
Dan Wilde, Attorney General's Office, Chairman;
Representative George Bagby;
Governor's Appointees:
Division of Behavioral Health, Dr. Pablo Hernandez, M.D.
Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs: Ric Paul
Department of Education: Kathy Wilder.
John Rivera, Senior Staff Attorney.
Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.
none
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.
Chairman Wilde called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic. Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.
Mr. Rivera distributed a copy of an email message from Mr. Scott Sargent, Lincoln County Attorney, who had been requested to poll county attorneys with respect to whether the prosecuting attorney should be a mandatory member of the MDT (see Appendix 3). The email contained a proposal that the prosecuting attorney should remain a mandatory member, but his attendance at meetings should be optional.
After discussion, the Subcommittee decided to retain the prosecuting attorney as a mandatory member of the MDT and to add the guardian ad litem and lay advocate as mandatory members.
Ms. Debra Starks, Natrona County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program Director, described the CASA program and how it participates in juvenile proceedings.
The Subcommittee then proceeded to review the revisions to the MDT provisions that were proposed by the Title 14 Review Committee last interim. The Subcommittee discussed changes to the Title 14 Review Committee's proposal that it would consider at its next meeting. Those changes addressed both the composition of the MDT and issues relating to confidentiality, the sharing of information, changing the timing of deadlines for filing reports and eliminating language that was considered unnecessary.
Entry Process into the State Hospital/Involuntary Commitment
Ms. Donna Sheen, Department of Family Services, distributed Appendix 4, proposed amendments to W.S. 14-6-219, and Appendix 5, comments from a member of the group she has been working with on the proposed changes. Ms. Sheen explained that the proposed changes to W.S. 14-6-219 would apply to delinquents.
After discussion, the Subcommittee determined that the proposed revisions would require substantial redrafting for consideration at the next meeting. After the Subcommittee has reviewed the new draft of the language, it was proposed that Mr. Rivera provide Mr. Sargent with a copy to solicit comments from prosecuting attorneys.
Child Protection Teams-Intervention
Chairman Wilde proposed language be added to W.S. 14-3-212 authorizing the Department of Family Services to promulgate rules establishing the purposes and functions of child protection teams. Additionally, some additional entities should be made manadatory members of local child protection teams, including the Department of Family Services and representatives from the county and the cities and towns within the county.
Other Matters
Chairman Wilde distributed an email message from Mr. Travis Smith, who is a public defender, in juvenile matters (Appendix 6). The Subcommittee discussed whether limited liability in an MDT meeting is an issue this, or another Subcommittee, should be reviewing. Ms. Sheen indicated this issue is being considered by the Legal Process Subcommittee.
Chairman Wilde appointed a subcommittee consisting of Representative Bagby, Mr. Paul and himself to develop a simple proposal for revision of the central registry statutes, rather than the complicated version contained in 2003SF0029. Representative Colin Simpson should be invited to participate in the discussion because of his interest in the issue last interim.
Chairman Wilde suggested that interested parties should be invited to the next meeting of the Subcommittee, scheduled for July 23, in Rawlins, and time should be set aside on the agenda for public comment from the public.
The Subcommittee discussed whether any other subcommittee was considering a potential repeal of W.S. 14-4-112 or 14-4-114. Hearing that no other subcommittee has yet considered those issues, Mr. Rivera was instructed to draft a bill to repeal those statutes for the Subcommittee's consideration at the next meeting.
There being no further business, Chairman Wilde adjourned the meeting at 2:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan Wilde, Senior Assistant Attorney General,
Chairman