FISCAL NOTE
FUND(S):
3200
Sources of Revenue:
Special Fund
Legislation creates:
A New Program
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
This bill establishes a new permit and a new advisory committee, both of which must be administered by the Division of Natural Resources, but generates no additional revenue to fund these activities. The net fiscal impact of the bill will be that the Division will be required to annually absorb $80,678 of additional costs at a time when its human and financial resources are already under stress.
Average cost per hour for law enforcement officer = $24.31
Officers required to enforce bill provisions = 6
Enforcement hours required weekly = 8
Total estimated law enforcement cost = $24.31 X 6 X 8 X 52 = $60,678
Estimated cost for DNR administration (enforcement, permits, records, committee) = $20,000
The DNR’s major concern with the bill is that the criteria for eligibility for the Class Y permit are vague. Vague eligibility criteria will increase (1) the number of individuals applying for the permit; (2) the amount of law enforcement time required to validate each applicant’s eligibility; (3) the frequency of eligibility appeals; and (4) the overall cost to administer the permit program. The additional effort required to administer the Advisory Committee and its review of each application for the Class Y permit will further increase the unfunded cost of implementing the bill. The net effect will be to divert the agency’s human and financial resources from current activities already mandated by law. If the bill contained more explicit eligibility requirements for the Class Y permit and less cumbersome requirements for review of applications by the Advisory Committee, the negative impacts of the bill could be reduced.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2005
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2006
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
80,678 |
80,678 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
80,678 |
80,678 |
| 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):
Average cost per hour for law enforcement officer = $24.31
Officers required to enforce bill provisions = 6
Enforcement hours required weekly = 8
Total estimated law enforcement cost = $24.31 X 6 X 8 X 52 = $60,678
Estimated cost for DNR administration (enforcement, permits, records, committee) = $20,000
Memorandum
The DNR’s major concern with the bill is that the criteria for eligibility for the Class Y permit are vague. Vague eligibility criteria will increase (1) the number of individuals applying for the permit; (2) the amount of law enforcement time required to validate each applicant’s eligibility; (3) the frequency of eligibility appeals; and (4) the overall cost to administer the permit program. The additional effort required to administer the Advisory Committee and its review of each application for the Class Y permit will further increase the unfunded cost of implementing the bill. The net effect will be to divert the agency’s human and financial resources from current activities already mandated by law. If the bill contained more explicit eligibility requirements for the Class Y permit and less cumbersome requirements for review of applications by the Advisory Committee, the negative impacts of the bill could be reduced.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Keith Wilson
Email Address: kwilson@dnr.state.wv.us