FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 25, 2024
Time Requested: 05:45 PM |
| Agency: |
Auditor, State of WV |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 2979 |
Introduced |
HB5197 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Education (K12) |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
State Funds
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund
Legislation creates:
Creates New Expense, Creates New Fund: School Resource Officer Fund
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The purpose of proposed House Bill 5197 is to include School Resource Officers (“SROs”) as part of the West Virginia School Aid Formula.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2024
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2025
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
171,420 |
171,420 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
151,420 |
151,420 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
| 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):
We believe adoption of the Bill would require the Office of the State Auditor to add two additional staff members whose sole duties would be to perform the administrative functions of the School Resource Officer Program. These two staff members’ duties would be tied to the receiving, processing and initial evaluation of grant applications received as a part of seeking participation in the Program and any ongoing monitoring needed in the Program to ensure grantees who receive awards in the Program comply with the terms and conditions of the awarded proposal submitted by them. For purposes of submission of this Fiscal Note, we will designate one of these new staff members as the “SRO Grants Manager” with an annual personal services cost of $70,000 who will be assisted in the Program by an “SRO Grants Assistant” with an annual personal services cost of $43,000. In addition, we believe both of these staff positions will require the acquisition and outfitting of new equipment at the inception of the Program. We estimate those costs at approximately $20,000 annually.
Memorandum
For purposes of estimating the full and complete implementation costs associated with the proposed Bill, we assume the necessary funding for the grants made available as a part of the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program is already included as a part of the appropriation tied to the School Aid Formula. If this assumption proves to be incorrect, then adoption and implementation of the proposed Bill would require additional State General Revenue Fund revenue appropriations of $28 Million to effectuate the Program, in addition to $171,420 of administrative costs, similarly funded by State General Fund appropriations as detailed in our response to this Fiscal Note Request. Accordingly, we would recommend the West Virginia Department of Education as the primary agency tasked with the development of the legislative appropriation request for the School Aid Formula be asked to submit a Fiscal Note related to proposed House Bill 5197.
Lastly, the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office believes the language of the proposed Bill needs to be amended to authorize the Auditor the authority to promulgate legislative rules in accordance with Chapter 29A-3-1 et seq. of the West Virginia Code to govern the implementation and conduct of the School Resource Officer Program.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Michael E. Sizemore, CPA
Email Address: Mike.Sizemore@wvsao.gov