NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used for other purposes.

 

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

SPONSOR:

Picraux

DATE

TYPED:

02/11/03

 

HB

257

SHORT TITLE:

Alcohol Related Domestic Abuse Programs

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Martinez

 

REVENUE

 

Estimated Revenue

Subsequent

Years Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

 

($300.0)

Indeterminate

Recurring

Local DWI Grant Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts

Department of Finance and Administration

Department of Health

New Mexico Health Policy Commission

 

SUMMARY

 

House Bill 257 amends the DWI Grant Program Act and allows funds to be used for programs to reduce or prevent the incidence of domestic abuse related to alcohol abuse.  This legislation provides a new section whereby the Local DWI Grant Fund can be used for programs, services or activities to prevent or reduce the incidence of domestic abuse related to alcoholism or alcohol abuse.  This legislation would continue to fund existing community based programs, service or facilities for prevention and treatment of domestic abuse related to alcoholism or alcohol abuse. 

 

Significant Issues

 

According to the Department of Health and the Health Policy Commission, DWI continues to be a major problem in the state of New Mexico.  The Local DWI Grant Program Fund was established to make grants available to municipalities or counties for innovative programs to prevent or reduce the incidence of DWI, alcoholism and alcohol abuse. 

 

Nationally, nearly half of female victims of intimate partner violence (domestic violence) reported that the offender was drinking or using illegal drugs at the time of the crime.  This same pattern was found in a national survey of prison inmates with 55% of these offenders drinking or using drugs at the time of the offense.

 

The Department of Health states that while Domestic violence is a serious issue in New Mexico,  HB 257 could possibly send a wrong message to women who are victims of non-alcohol related domestic violence. In addition, addressing the issue of alcohol-related domestic violence using DWI Grant Program Funding may dilute the Local DWI Grant Program Fund for other community-based programs that address DWI issues. 

 

The DFA notes that expanding the funding for domestic violence prevention and treatment may diminish the funds available  for DWI.

 

According to the Administrative Office of the Courts,  additional programs or services give judges sentencing options in dealing with domestic violence or DWI cases.  National research and statistics into the nature of domestic violence show that early intervention is important in dealing with domestic violence. 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The Local DWI Grant Fund is comprised of $2.8 million of liquor excise tax revenues.   This legislation proposes that $300.0 of this amount be distributed to counties reclassified in 2002 as class A counties with a population more than ninety thousand, but less than one hundred thousand in the 1990 census. This would affect Sandoval and Santa Fe Counties.

 

MM/sb/njw