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

SPONSOR Trujillo

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1-26-06

HB 234

SHORT TITLE Santa Fe Office for Victims of Crime

SB

ANALYST Hadwiger

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$117.9

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 234 appropriates $117,863 from the general fund to the Department of Finance and

Administration (DFA) to fund salary and benefits for a victim services coordinator and opera-

tional expenses for an office for victims of crime in the Santa Fe county sheriff’s office.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $117.863 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY07 would revert to the

general fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DFA indicated the funds would be used for one victim services coordinator at the Santa Fe

county sheriff's department. This position would be full time and on call to a crime scene. The

position would provide assistance to the crime victim at the time the sheriff is called to the scene

of a crime. The job description includes explaining to the victims of homicide the process of

evidence gathering at the scene, assisting with the details of finding a mortuary and explaining

House Bill 234 – Page 2

the autopsy process. The person will counsel a victim of rape about available services and assist

with arranging housing if a victim’s house burns down. The coordinator will also counsel vic-

tims of domestic violence, provide the victim telephone numbers or transportation to emergency

shelters. DFA noted that victims of crime are becoming an overwhelming problem as the popu-

lation grows in Santa Fe County. The position fills a need for the victim of crime who wants an-

swers immediately when the sheriff is unable to provide them as he is working the crime scene

and not available to the victim immediately.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

HB 234 proposes that the local government division of the department of finance administer the

funds for one FTE at the Santa Fe county sheriff's department. The local government division

will prepare a joint powers agreement or a memorandum of understanding with the Santa Fe

county sheriff's department to fund the position.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The DFA indicated that the Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Solano indicates this is currently a volunteer

position filled by an individual who works at the State Penitentiary full time. He assists with

crime scene work only if and when he is available. The sheriff's department is in need of a full

time victim services coordinator to be available working hours and on call as needed. There is

office space available at the department to house this FTE. The position is provided with an

available vehicle, fuel and a radio from the sheriff's office.

DH/yr