Legislation to address disproportionate minority contact in the juvenile justice system has hit a snag after making it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support Monday.
Senate Bill 20 would require agencies that deal with juveniles in the justice system to report additional data and it makes some changes to existing policy.
Senator Whitney Westerfield of Christian County sponsors the legislation and says the data they have shows there is a problem.
It passed the committee Westerfield chairs with only one ‘no’ vote Monday, but he says he was disappointed when the bill was sent back to his committee later in the week due to lack of support in the full Senate.
Christian County is the second-worst in the state to Jefferson County for disproportionate minority contact in the juvenile justice system.
You can hear local legislators discuss several bills and topics on our Legislative Update program Sunday morning at 9 on Lite Rock 98.7 and online at lite987whop.com.