OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-6425
AN ACT CONCERNING AID IN DYING FOR TERMINALLY ILL
PATIENTS.
Primary Analyst: ME 3/19/21
Contributing Analyst(s): RDP
Reviewer: PR
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $
Consumer Protection, Dept. GF - Cost 140,468 144,682
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 58,013 59,754
Correction, Dept.; Judicial Dept.
(Probation)
GF - Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill allows terminally ill adults to obtain and use prescriptions
of lethal medications resulting in a cost to the Department of
Consumer Protection (DCP) and the Office of the State Comptroller to
hire two additional employees. The bill requires DCP to accept and
destroy unused medications, investigate non-compliant pharmacists,
and investigate complaints. To meet the requirements of the bill, DCP
will need to hire one processing technician and one drug control agent
for a salary and fringe benefit cost of $198,481 in FY 22 and $204,436 in
FY 23.
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.3% of payroll in FY 22 and FY 23. 2021HB-06425-R000093-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2
The bill also clarifies certain acts related to aid in dying for
terminally ill patients as murder and class D felonies. To the extent
that this change results in increased penalties, this provision may
result in a potential cost for incarceration or probation and a potential
revenue gain from fines assessed. On average, the marginal cost to the
state for incarcerating an offender for the year is $2,200
2
while the
average marginal cost for supervision in the community is less than
$700
3
each year.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation and the number of
offenders.
2
Inmate marginal cost is based on increased consumables (e.g. food, clothing, water,
sewage, living supplies, etc.) This does not include a change in staffing costs or
utility expenses because these would only be realized if a unit or facility opened.
3
Probation marginal cost is based on services provided by private providers and
only includes costs that increase with each additional participant. This does not
include a cost for additional supervision by a probation officer unless a new offense
is anticipated to result in enough additional offenders to require additional probation
officers.