FISCAL NOTE
FUND(S):
0453
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund
Legislation creates:
A New Program
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The cost of this proposed legislation is projected to be $45,900 the first year and $25,900 per year thereafter. The first year startup costs include two specialty freezers.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2007
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2008
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
45,900 |
45,900 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
25,900 |
25,900 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Our records indicate that there were 396 sexual assault cases reported last year in West Virgina. Research indicates that only 16% of rapes and sexual assaults are ever reported. Using these factors, the actual number of assaults could reach as high as 2,475 per year. While the national average is that 10% have the potential to become pregnant, or a total of 248, only 30% of these, or 74 choose to give birth.
Since the WV State Police does not have a pathologist qualified to perform tissue separation, this service could be performed by the State Medical Examiner's Office at $50 per case. Additionally, Marshall University, through an existing contract, can analyze the separated tissue at $300 per case. Therefore, the total cost per case would be approximately $350.
Finally, in order to preserve the tissue for analysis, both the WV State Police and Marshall University would need to purchase a freezer capable of storing tissue, or $20,000 in total.
Questions relating to this may be addressed to Ted Smith, Director, WVSP Forensics Laboratory, at 746-2273.
Memorandum
There are serious logistical concerns which are not addressed in the proposed legislation. Those concerns can best be explained by
Ted Smith, Director, WVSP Forensics Laboratory, at 746-2273.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Ron Twohig, Comptroller
Email Address: rtwohig@wvsp.state.wv.us