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

SPONSOR Carraro

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/31/06

HB

SHORT TITLE Increase Number of State Police Officers

SB 186

ANALYST Peery

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$15,777.2

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

State Personnel Office (SPO)

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

No Responses Received From

NM Municipal League(NMML)

NM Association of Counties(NMAC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 186 appropriates $15,777,168 from the general fund to the Department of Public

Safety for the purpose of increasing the number of state police officers and address additional

support staff needs associated with the expansion.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $15,777,168 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert

to the general fund.

DPS states the funding in the proposed legislation does not address additional operating costs,

such as, office space, utilities, telephones, IT equipment and vehicles. DPS reports that an essen-

Senate Bill 186 – Page

2

tial component of expansion is addressing the current pay structure to be competitive. DPS notes

the current legislative session is addressing pay increase for the department’s commissioned law

enforcement officer.

SPO states the proposed legislation does not address who the expansion will be funded after fis-

cal year 2007.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DPS reports recruitment efforts have been impacted due to the department’s inability to offer a

competitive pay package. DPS states certain municipalities are able to provide better pay oppor-

tunities for well-trained enforcement officers. DPS reports the department would not be able to

undertake an expansion of services of this magnitude in one year given current recruitment and

retention issues.

SPO states the proposed legislation does not specify the number of new positions and the support

staff needs.

DFA states the proposed appropriation could hire or purchase the following: 157 patrol officers

($46,500 with benefits), 157 patrol vehicles ($45,000 per vehicle), 10 support personnel

($40,000 with benefits), 21 dispatchers ($40,000 with benefits), 1 work processor ($30,000 with

benefits) and 2 mechanics ($36,700 with benefits).

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DPS states the long-term effects of an expansion of this nature would provide a positive impact

to the performance of the department.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DPS reports to attempt the implementation in one fiscal year is not feasible under existing condi-

tions. DPS states the department would support a two to four year implementation plan for the

expansion.

SPO reports they would assist DPS with human resource administration in regards to the pro-

posed legislation.

RLP/mt