NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.



The LFC is only preparing FIRs on bills referred to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The chief clerks are responsible for preparing and issuing all other bill analyses.



Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Room 416 of the State Capitol Building.



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





SPONSOR   SJC           DATE TYPED 03/10/99 HB               



SHORT TITLE   Impersonating Public Officer Penalty      SB  65/aSJCS       



                                                   ANALYST  O'Connell      



APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
NFI NFI



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



LFC files



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Senate Judiciary Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 65



The Senate Judiciary Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 65 defines impersonating a piece officer as attempting to exercise the functions of a peace officer without due authority or pretending to be a peace officer with the intent to deceive another person. "Peace Officer" means any public official or public officer vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for crime, wether that duty extends to all crimes or is limited specific crimes.



The substitute provides that the first offense of impersonating a peace officer is a misdemeanor. Second and subsequent offences are fourth degree felonies.



Synopsis of Bill



Senate Bill 65 amends Section 30-27-2 NMSA 1978 to increase the penalty for impersonating a public officer from a petty misdemeanor to a fourth degree felony.



Significant Issues



Senate Bill 65 also changes the phrase "justice of the peace" to "magistrate" in the language of the statute.



BOC/jsp/njw