Kansas legislators have agreed on a sweeping measure that would overhaul the juvenile justice system by offering community-based services to juvenile offenders.

The Senate Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice has voted to close group homes for juvenile offenders in July 2018. The bill also proposes to create a team to review cases with the input of families and educators.

Geary County Attorney Steve Opat said it’s destructive of the juvenile justice system as it exists now. “There’s apparently a push, and I don’t know where it comes from to realign and do away with the system as we know it.  I guess the thought is that it’s too onerous, too cumbersome, too introspective in terms of how we manage juveniles in our justice system”

Opat also added. “I frankly think the underlying reason is that the state thinks it’ll save them about $8 million, although nobody is coming right out to say that. And that’s not a sufficient reason to do what’s being proposed.”

Opat feels the proposal will remove any control, supervision or guidance over juveniles as it is currently known. He conveyed his thoughts on the matter to officials in the Legislature. He also confirmed the county attorney’s he has talked to in Kansas are lobbying against the proposal.

The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill by this week.