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





SPONSOR: Pinto DATE TYPED: 02/04/00 HB
SHORT TITLE: Services for Incarcerated Native Americans SB 367
ANALYST: Trujillo


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY00 FY01 FY00
$ 80.0 Rec GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to HB 436



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



LFC files

Department of Public Safety

Department of Corrections



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



SB 367 appropriates $80.0 from the general fund to the Corrections Department for expenditure in FY 01 to provide for two counselors to travel to state and private prisons and correction facilities for the purpose of providing spiritual counseling, ceremonies, and advice pursuant to the Native American Counseling Act to Native Americans incarcerated in state and private facilities. An unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of the FY 01 reverts to the GF.



Significant Issues



According to the Department of Corrections, the department has experienced difficulty in obtaining volunteer Native American spiritual counselors who are able to travel to all facilities to provide counseling services to Native Americans. Enactment of this bill would assist the Corrections Department in providing these services



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The bill appropriates $80.0 in general fund to the Corrections Department for FY 01.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



The Corrections Department suggests that the funds appropriated will be used to contract with two counselors and compensate the contractors for their time and travel. Also some of the appropriation will be used to obtain materials required for sweat lodge ceremonies.



The Department maintains that the enactment of this bill could reduce the administrative burden of prison administrators who struggle to obtain Native American spiritual counselors on a volunteer basis.



Any administrative burden for procurement staff who will be required to contract for these services could be absorb by the Department.



LAT/njw