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





SPONSOR: Campos DATE TYPED: 02/03/99 HB
SHORT TITLE: Increase District Attorney Salaries SB 308
ANALYST: Pickering


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
NFI $ 264.5 NFI NFI Recurring GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates: HB 318



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Administrative Office of the District Attorneys (AODA)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



SB 308 appropriates $264.5 from the general fund to the AODA for expenditure in FY2000 for the purpose of paying salaries and benefits for the district attorneys. Any unexpended or unencumbered

balance remaining at the end of FY2000 shall revert to the general fund.



Significant Issues



SB 308 establishes that for FY2001 and all subsequent fiscal years, the annual salary for the district attorneys shall be established by the legislature in an appropriation act. According to the AODA, the bill also does away with the two-tier system which currently exists for district attorney salaries. It raises all district attorneys' salaries to $85.0 per year and gives the legislature the authority to raise salaries in the future without having to amend the statute which sets district attorney salaries each time there is an increase.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The appropriation contained in this bill for $264.5 for the AODA would be transferred to each district attorneys' office. All of the district attorney offices would experience an increase in their base budgets.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



According to the AODA, the office would experience minimal impact. However, each of the district attorneys would be affected significantly since none has received an increase in the past three fiscal years. This appropriation would result in a 15 percent increase for two DAs and a 21 percent increase for the remaining twelve DAs. The AODA also added that a recent survey showed that New Mexico District Attorneys' salaries are well below the average for the Comparison Market States (see attachment) which is $91.4 per year.



CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP



SB 308 duplicates HB 318.



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Attachment