FISCAL NOTE



FUND(S):



Sources of Revenue:

General Fund

Legislation creates:

Neither Program nor Fund



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


1. Lakin Correctional Center is completely full and as of 2/22/2010 there were almost 200 additional female inmates awaiting bed space to open. 2. Lakin Correctional Center is a female only facility and housing male inmates there would cause security and operational problems that are best avoided. LCC was designed and constructed to be a solely female institution because of problems with coed facilities in the past. 3. The bill does not contain a definition of “low-risk inmates” 4. Inmates with severe physical or mental conditions require very intensive and specific services. Services that have already been acquired and established at great expense at other facilities. 5. The inmates that actually cost the WVDOC “real” money to treat and manage are not necessarily “low-risk”, additionally the WVDOC contracts with a private vendor for medical services. It is not clear how the proposed legislation would impact the current contract. 6. The WVDOC anticipates that the implementation of this bill would cost the State of West Virginia more than what the bill could realistically be expected to save. At worst, space would have to be constructed at LCC to accommodate the program, and at best it would cause an inevitable negative fiscal impact through operational issues and other difficulties.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2010
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2011
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 0 0 0
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 0 0


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):






Memorandum


1. Lakin Correctional Center is completely full and as of 2/22/2010 there were almost 200 additional female inmates awaiting bed space to open. 2. Lakin Correctional Center is a female only facility and housing male inmates there would cause security and operational problems that are best avoided. LCC was designed and constructed to be a solely female institution because of problems with coed facilities in the past. 3. The bill does not contain a definition of “low-risk inmates” 4. Inmates with severe physical or mental conditions require very intensive and specific services. Services that have already been acquired and established at great expense at other facilities. 5. The inmates that actually cost the WVDOC “real” money to treat and manage are not necessarily “low-risk”, additionally the WVDOC contracts with a private vendor for medical services. It is not clear how the proposed legislation would impact the current contract. 6. The WVDOC anticipates that the implementation of this bill would cost the State of West Virginia more than what the bill could realistically be expected to save. At worst, space would have to be constructed at LCC to accommodate the program, and at best it would cause an inevitable negative fiscal impact through operational issues and other difficulties.



    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Loita C. Butcher
    Email Address: Loita.C.Butcher@wv.gov