OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sSB-380
AN ACT CONCERNING SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.
Primary Analyst: DD 4/8/24
Contributing Analyst(s): BP, RP
Reviewer: JS
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 25 $ FY 26 $
Judicial Dept. (Probation) GF - Cost 439,000 –
722,000
139,000 –
277,000
Education, Dept. GF - Cost 51,500 103,000
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 184,243 –
293,243
96,487 –
151,487
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in significant costs to the state annually beginning in
FY 25. It requires: (1) the Judicial Department to provide reports to
school superintendents regarding students that have been arrested for
certain offenses; and (2) the State Department of Education to appoint a
director of school climate improvement. These costs are described in
detail below.
Judicial Branch
The bill results in estimated costs to the Judicial Department of
between $439,000 and $722,000 in FY 25 and between $139,000 and
$277,000 in FY 26 and annually thereafter. There are corresponding
fringe benefits costs of $163,000 to $272,000 in FY 25 and $54,000 to
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 41.25% of payroll in FY 25. 2024SB-00380-R000347-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 3
$109,000 in FY 26 and annually thereafter.
Due to the July 1, 2024 effective date, it is assumed that the Judicial
Department will not have sufficient time to develop a technical solution
in the first fiscal year. This results in a higher personnel cost in FY 25 for
what is expected to be a highly manual process.
2
After a technical
solution has been produced, it is anticipated that the Judicial
Department will be able to reduce personnel costs in FY 26.
3
The one-time cost to develop a technical solution is anticipated to be
approximately $14,000 in FY 25.
4
There are additional one-time costs
expected for equipment between $9,000 to $15,000 in FY 25.
State Department of Education
The bill results in a cost to SDE of $51,500 in FY 25 and $103,000 in FY
26 and annually thereafter. There are corresponding fringe costs of
$21,243 in FY 25 and $42,487 in FY 26 and annually thereafter. The bill
requires SDE to appoint a director of school climate improvement. It is
anticipated that SDE will have to hire an employee to fulfill this
requirement.
The bill also makes other changes regarding school climate and steps
local and regional school districts must take when issuing certain out-
of-school suspension. These changes are not expected to increase costs
to SDE or to local and regional school districts associated with: (1) the
provision of services to students that are arrested or that receive out-of-
school suspensions; or (2) administering school climate surveys.
The Out Years
2
The positions required would be for a Juvenile Probation Officer Trainee which has
an estimated salary of $66,000. In FY 25, it is expected that the Judicial Department
would need between 6 – 10 positions ($396,000 - $666,000 for the salaries and other
expenses related to the positions between $20,000 - $33,000 in FY 25).
3
In FY 26, it expected that the Judicial Department would require between 2 – 4
positions ($132,000 - $264,000 for the salaries and other expenses related to the
positions between $7,000 - $13,000 in FY 26).
4
This estimate includes approximately 140 hours of development and testing to create
a technical solution for the reports. 2024SB-00380-R000347-FN.DOCX Page 3 of 3
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation.