SB562 HFAT #1 Capito 4-9 AMENDED

Spano  3382

Senator Capito moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

Eng. Senate Bill 562—A BILL to amend and reenact §49-4-712 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto nine new sections, designated §49-4-727, §49-4-728, §49-4-729, §49-4-730, §49-4-731, §49-4-732, §49-4-733, §49-4-734, and §49-4-735, all relating to juvenile competency proceedings generally; creating a process to raise and resolve questions of a competency in juvenile delinquency matters; prohibiting a juvenile found to be incompetent to stand trial to be placed in Bureau of Juvenile Services facility; defining terms; creating a rebuttable presumption that juveniles 14 years of age and older are competent to proceed; creating a rebuttable presumption that juveniles under 14 years of age are incompetent to proceed; providing all proceedings stayed until competency resolved; requiring the appointment of a guardian ad litem when the issue of a juvenile’s competency is raised or a rebuttable presumption of incompetency exists; establishing qualifications for qualified forensic evaluators; requiring written competency  evaluation report; requesting the Supreme Court to establish a training program for guardians ad litem; establishing time frames for jurisdiction and competency attainment services; establishing procedures for competency hearings; and providing disposition alternatives for incompetent juveniles and staying transfer to criminal jurisdiction.

Adopted

Rejected