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

SPONSOR Barreras

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/31/07

HB 608

SHORT TITLE Alternative Suspension Program in Valencia County SB

ANALYST Propst

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$100.0

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 608 appropriates $100.0 from the General Fund to the Local Government Division of

the Department of Finance and Administration to contract with a youth service organization for

an alternative suspension program in Valencia County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General Fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

General Fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

House Bill 608 supports a pilot program that provides an alternative to an out-of-school

suspension for 10 youths per week from an identified elementary/intermediate school.

The program will benefit the students by helping them to achieve an appropriate level of

academic performance. The program will also work on identifying high risk behaviors to which

this age group is susceptible and provide resistance education.

House Bill 608 – Page

2

Program staff coordinates and assist students in completing homework assignments, addresses

ills of underage drinking and substance abuse and, using a science based curriculum approach,

work on tobacco prevention, teach Botvins life skills and provide art therapy sessions conducted

by a licensed art therapist.

Research has shown and continues to identify prevention and early intervention as more cost

effective than the cost of caring for disadvantage, disabled. Young people recognize too late the

negative consequences of the choices they have made with no way out.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DFA suggested that the program should be administered by Children Youth and Family

Department as this is an intervention program and not a community economic development

program.

WEP/csd