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.






Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2011
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2012
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 0 7,859,280 7,859,280
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):


The purpose of this bill is to add to the definition of harassment, intimidation or bullying. The bill requires a child to attend two months of counseling provided by a school if he or she is found to be harassing, intimidating or bullying a fellow student. The bill provides for consequences for failure to comply with the counseling requirement. It is estimated that the school systems would need to employee an additional 120 counselors to comply with the counseling requirements of this bill because the counselors who are currently employed would not have the time to take on the additional workload. The estimated cost for employing these additional counselors is: Average contracted salary of counselors - $ 48,876 Employee benefit costs (34%) - 16,618 Total cost per counselor - $ 65,494 Total estimated cost – 120 counselors - $,7,859,280 And since the allowance for counselors is not being increased, this additional cost would have to be borne by the various county boards.



Memorandum






    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Pam Bird for Joe Panetta
    Email Address: pbird@access.k12.wv.us