This bill amends the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to eliminate a legal loophole that has allowed judges to place youth in secure detention facilities for status offenses like truancy, running away, or curfew violations. Currently, judges can detain young people for these non-criminal offenses if they violate a court order, a practice that has led to thousands of youth being locked up alongside those accused of serious crimes. The bill requires states to stop using this "valid court order" exception within one year of the law's passage, though states facing hardship can request a single one-year extension if they demonstrate progress toward compliance. The legislation affects juveniles nationwide and aims to address documented disparities, as Black youth and girls are overrepresented in status offense cases. Congress noted that over half the states have already abandoned this detention practice, recognizing that most youth who commit status offenses do not progress to serious criminal behavior.