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:

Hurt

 

DATE TYPED:

2/11/03

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Create Duty to Report DWI Convictions

 

SB

170

 

 

ANALYST:

Wilson

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

 

 

See Narrative

 

 

 (Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

 

Public Defenders Department (PDD)

 

No Responses Received From

 

Taxation & Revenue Department (TRD)

Administrative Office of the District Attorneys (ADA)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Bill 170 requires a person licensed to drive in the State of New Mexico to report a DWI conviction within two weeks of the conviction to the Motor Vehicle Division(MVD) of the Taxation and Revenue Department (TRD). Failure to report a DWI conviction is a misdemeanor and the offender shall be fined $1,000 and sentenced for at least 30 days and up to 364 days to jail.

 

     Significant Issues

 

The PDD states SB 170 puts a duty on persons convicted to provide information that is already vested in law enforcement offices and courts.  It threatens the integrity of the information system already in place.

 


The requirement to report convictions is already contained in the Motor Vehicle Code.  The courts have the duty to report convictions to the MVD and the MVD has the duty to maintain the information for use by appropriate agencies.  See NMSA 1978, sections 1-17, et seq., 66-8-132.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

TRD will need resources to implement the provisions of SB 170.

 

The PDD claims SB 170 will place an additional burden on them by creating a new category of offense. They find it difficult to predict how many additional misdemeanor charges will be brought under this legislation.  It is more than likely, however, that failure to report charges will be brought as probation violations.  With the rising number of DWI convictions, there are, in all likelihood, several hundred people who will be subject to the duty to report who will not and who will be subject to probation violations.  The PDD will need additional attorneys and support staff to handle the increased caseload.  The number of additional staff that will be needed is not known.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

 

The collection of accurate information regarding convictions is already the duty of law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the MVD, but SB 170 will require the enhancement of the existing system, especially in the area of enforcement.

 

DW/njw:prr