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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Roberts

 

DATE TYPED:

01/25/02

 

HB

97

 

SHORT TITLE:

Hazardous Materials Response Equipment

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Belmares

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

$275.0

 

 

Non-Recurring

General Fund

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 97 appropriates $275.0 from the general fund for expenditure in FY02 and FY03 to purchase hazardous materials emergency response equipment for use by emergency response personnel at the Santa Teresa port of entry and vicinity. 

 

     Significant Issues

 

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) establishes HAZMAT (hazardous materials) response capability designations of “Awareness,” “Operational” and “Technician.” These HAZMAT response capability designations are associated with increasing HAZMAT response capabilities (training, equipment and competency to address HAZMAT situations).  DPS indicates there is currently no Technician HAZMAT  response capability within 50 miles of the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and the community of Santa Teresa.  DPS expects U.S. Customs will open the border to HAZMAT shipments and Santa Teresa Port of Entry.

 

Under the Emergency Management Act, Chapter 74 Article 4B, DPS is responsible for coordinating all hazardous materials responses in the state.  Without technical HAZMAT equipment readily

 

 

available, it would be difficult for DPS to address an incident or accident in the border region utilizing current resources.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $275.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY03 shall revert to the general fund.  DPS has indicated a $275.0 appropriation would not cover the entire cost of developing a Technician level HAZMAT capability but would augment the equipment already purchased by local governments.

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

1.     Are federal funds available for acquisition of this type of equipment ? If so, has DPS pursued such funding ?

2.     DPS indicated ‘‘When U.S. Customs opens the border to HAZMAT shipments it will be imperative that there is a HAZMAT response cabability.’’ When does DPS anticipate this will occur ?

 

EB/ar

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