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

SPONSOR Swisstack

DATE TYPED 2/20/05

HB HJM 61

SHORT TITLE Albuquerque Court Consolidation Study

SB

ANALYST McSherry

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

NFI

NFI

NFI Indeterminate Recurring General Fund

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

No Response Received From:

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Memorial 61 requests a study be conducted by the Administrative Office of the

Courts (AOC) to determine the merits of consolidating Children and Family Courts into a single,

shared space. The Memorial further proposes that AOC report recommendations regarding: sites

for consolidation, expenses associated with the recommended consolidation, and resources in-

volved in recommended consolidation to an “appropriate” legislative interim committee by “its”

October 2005 meeting.

Significant Issues

According to the memorial, the children’s and family courts in Albuquerque occupy separate fa-

cilities despite having closely related functions, and overlapping served populations. The bill

further asserts that the consolidation of staff, security and records could save public funds.

The memorial does not specify that the AOC should base its report on the findings of the pro-

posed study, nor what the study should consider as merits.

The memorial does not specify to which interim legislative committee AOC should report.

House Joint Memorial 61 -- Page 2

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The intent of the memorial seems to be to investigate the potential improve the performance of

both the children’s and family courts in Albuquerque.

The Memorial proposes that AOC conduct the study which would increase the responsibilities of

the agency and may cause agency performance in other duties to decrease while the study is per-

formed.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no appropriation suggested in House Joint Memorial 61. It is not clear if resources

would be used or needed by AOC to conduct the proposed study.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The Memorial proposes AOC conduct a study. The agency will likely have an administrative

impact as a result of conducting the proposed study, unless the staff, conducting the study have

been assigned to other temporary duties which would cease.

It is possible that as a result of the proposed study contained in the Memorial that administrative

savings could be achieved in the children’s and family court.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

It is assumed that the report AOC would provide would be based on the findings of the proposed

report, however it is not certain based upon the proposed Memorial.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.

Should House Joint Memorial 61 not be enacted, AOC may not study the implications of con-

solidating the courts and may not report to an interim legislative committee recommendations

regarding a consolidation

EM/yr