OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-6594
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS.
Primary Analyst: PR 4/21/21
Contributing Analyst(s): MR
Reviewer: ME
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $
Attorney General GF - Cost 163,800 169,533
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 67,649 70,017
Correction, Dept.; Judicial Dept.
(Probation)
GF - See Below See Below See Below
Resources of the General Fund GF - See Below See Below See Below
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill makes various changes to criminal justice related statutes
and results in the impact state below.
Section 8 is anticipated to result in costs to the Office of the Attorney
General (OAG) of $163,800 in FY 22 and $169,533 in FY 23, and $67,649
and $70,017 respectively, for fringe benefits, associated with hiring an
additional Assistant Attorney General and Paralegal to review and
litigate the additional 200 - 300 new cases annually that fall under the
bill’s provisions. There are currently between 5,000 and 6,000 bond
forfeitures annually, with 200-300 of cases litigated. In FY 19, the Chief
State’s Attorney Office (CSAO) collected on 350 forfeited bonds in the
amount of $1,110,975; in FY 18, CSAO collected on 322 forfeited bonds
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-06594-R000580-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2
in the amount of $1,307,925.
Sections 10-12, 17, and 22 increases the penalties for various
violations including vendor fraud, unlawful dissemination of an
intimate image, electronic stalking, and failure to keep narcotics in the
original container and results in potential revenue from fines and
potential cost for incarceration and probation. 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.
Sections 23, 25-27 reduce the penalties including for failure to pay or
respond to infractions and reduces the scope of laws for illegal drug
actives in drug free zones and results in potential revenue loss from
fines and potential savings from reduced incarceration or probation.
Sections 1-7, 9, 13-21, 24, and 28 make various changes that do not
result in a fiscal impact.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation and the number of
violations.
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.