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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Vigil DATE TYPED: 02/17/01 HB 843
SHORT TITLE: Parole Board Compensation for Hearing Files SB
ANALYST: Chabot


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
$ 35.0 Recurring General Fund



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



LFC Files

Juvenile Parole Board (JPB)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



This bill appropriates $35.0 from the general fund to JPB to compensate board members for case reviews and amends Section 32A-7-7 NMSA 1978 to provide JPB members $10.00 for each case reviewed that has been scheduled for a parole hearing.



Significant Issues



JPB members are nonsalaried public officers appointed by the Governor. The members average four hearing dates per month. This could be increased to five days per month when the Dona Ana juvenile correctional facility opens in July 2001. In fiscal year 2000, 332 cases were scheduled for hearing and this number has been increasing each year. There are three parole board members. If the case load grows to 400 in fiscal year 2002, the required appropriation would be $12.0; however, JPB states that they only need $9.0 to reimburse parole board members for case reviews.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The appropriation of $35.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year shall revert to the general fund.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



Since the appropriation is specific, separate accounting would be required by the JPB staff to ensure the funding is only used to reimburse board members for cases reviewed for parole hearings.



RELATIONSHIP



This bill is related to HB 578 pertaining to the Adult Parole Board.



TECHNICAL ISSUES



The bill should be amended to reduce the appropriation to $9.0.



GAC/njw