An Act updating the juvenile justice policy and data board

This bill (H 4417) modifies the membership structure of Massachusetts' Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board. It increases the board size from 21 to 23 members and adds a specific role for the executive director of the Commission on LGBTQ+ Youth (or a designee). The bill also revises membership requirements to include three individuals with direct juvenile justice experience: two parents whose children were in juvenile court and one adult who was subject to juvenile court as a child, all selected from specified advocacy organizations. These changes directly affect who serves on the board, aiming to incorporate broader lived experience and specialized perspectives into juvenile justice policy decisions.