Committee advances bill shifting juvenile pre-adjudication per-diem costs to a 1/3–2/3 split
March 20, 2025 | Corrections and Penology, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The Senate Corrections and Penology Committee advanced Senate Bill 374, which removes a fixed $50 per-diem payment and restores statutory language that allocates daily detention costs for juveniles in Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities as one-third paid by DJJ and two-thirds by the local government that uses DJJ detention services.
Senator Turner, reporting for the subcommittee, told the committee that DJJ and local governments currently operate under a practice where local governments pay a $50 daily per-diem for pre-adjudication juveniles. Turner said DJJ has indicated that the $50 figure no longer covers rising operating and security costs and that the bill returns to the statutory cost split and directs DJJ to negotiate memoranda of understanding with counties and cities to implement the change. The subcommittee—chaired by Turner and including Senators Adams Devine, Bennett and Sutton—voted unanimously to give a favorable report.
The only witness who testified in person in the subcommittee hearing was the director of the Department of Juvenile Justice, identified in the transcript as Eden Hendrick, who described increased operating and security expenses and discussed local strategies to limit detention costs, such as partnering with stakeholders to develop and fund community-based alternatives including day reporting centers and other residential care options to keep youth close to home. Those alternatives were presented as ways localities might reduce reliance on secure detention and associated per-diem costs.
After the subcommittee report, the full committee voted to advance SB 374 with a favorable report; the chair recorded no opposition and noted proxy votes. The committee transcript does not include a roll-call tally or an amended text in committee; the bill as described removes a specific dollar amount from statute, restores DJJ responsibility for one-third of daily cost and requires DJJ to negotiate MOUs with counties and cities.
By forwarding SB 374 with a favorable report, the committee has sent the bill to the full Senate for further consideration.
Senator Turner, reporting for the subcommittee, told the committee that DJJ and local governments currently operate under a practice where local governments pay a $50 daily per-diem for pre-adjudication juveniles. Turner said DJJ has indicated that the $50 figure no longer covers rising operating and security costs and that the bill returns to the statutory cost split and directs DJJ to negotiate memoranda of understanding with counties and cities to implement the change. The subcommittee—chaired by Turner and including Senators Adams Devine, Bennett and Sutton—voted unanimously to give a favorable report.
The only witness who testified in person in the subcommittee hearing was the director of the Department of Juvenile Justice, identified in the transcript as Eden Hendrick, who described increased operating and security expenses and discussed local strategies to limit detention costs, such as partnering with stakeholders to develop and fund community-based alternatives including day reporting centers and other residential care options to keep youth close to home. Those alternatives were presented as ways localities might reduce reliance on secure detention and associated per-diem costs.
After the subcommittee report, the full committee voted to advance SB 374 with a favorable report; the chair recorded no opposition and noted proxy votes. The committee transcript does not include a roll-call tally or an amended text in committee; the bill as described removes a specific dollar amount from statute, restores DJJ responsibility for one-third of daily cost and requires DJJ to negotiate MOUs with counties and cities.
By forwarding SB 374 with a favorable report, the committee has sent the bill to the full Senate for further consideration.
View full meeting
This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.
View full meeting