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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Begaye

 

DATE TYPED:

1/30/02

 

HB

0126

 

SHORT TITLE:

Shiprock DWI Community Awareness

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Dunbar

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY02

FY03

FY02

FY03

 

 

 

$30.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

   

Department of Health (DOH)

NM Department of Public Safety (NMDPS)

NM State Highway and Transportation Department (NMSHTD)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 126 appropriates $30.0 from the general fund to the NM Office of Indian Affairs to address the need for increased community awareness about driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs in the Shiprock area of San Juan County.   Additionally, the community would receive information about the effects of DWI on families and communities and on education, prevention and alcohol and/or drug treatment.

 

     Significant Issues

 

According to NMSHTD, this legislation is duplicative of current programs and measures as there are statewide programs currently in operation by the department and other state agencies  which provide services on DWI prevention, education, and drug and alcohol treatment

 

DOH reports that the San Juan County Detention Center in Farmington that handles the majority of DWI offenders in San Juan County, reports that 29% of all offenders convicted of DWI from 07/01/99 to the present are from the Shiprock area.

 

DOH further explains that there are resources currently available in San Juan County to address community awareness of DWI.  The Department of Health (DOH) currently has a contract in place with the San Juan County Community Partnership for $125,000.  A component of this contract is to address substance use (including alcohol) problems in the county.  In addition, there is County DWI Planning Council that receives funds from the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).  A purpose of the DWI funds is to enhance community awareness of the problems associated with driving under the influence of alcohol. 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $30.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 03   shall revert to the general fund.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

None identified.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

DOH promotes strategies to prevent motor vehicle crash injuries and deaths.    According to the Division of Government Research at the University of New Mexico, San Juan County represented between 8% to 11% of all alcohol related crashes in New Mexico.  Shiprock reported 88 total crashses in 1999, with 4 fatalities, and 69 injured.  The Social Indicator Report, from the Office of Epidemiology, shows that between 1995-1997 25% of individuals in San Juan County, between 9th and 12th grade report drinking and driving. 

 

Recent statistics from the NM Highway Department indicate that in San Juan County the DWI conviction rate was 17.5% in 1999.  That rate is down from the 1995 rate of 20.5% but still remains higher than the state average of 10.3%. 

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

 

Are the residence in the Shiprock area currently benefiting from the funding available through DOH and NMSHTD for increased community awareness about driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs?

 

What community awareness programs have been initiated in the Shiprock area through DOH and NMSHTD?

 

How many Shiprock residence have been served through programs administered through DOH and NMSHTD?

 

BD/njw

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