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

SPONSOR Chasey

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/9/07

HB 966

SHORT TITLE Families of Homicide Victim College Tuition

SB

ANALYST Peery-Galon

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NA

$600.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

NFI

Recurring General

Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Crime Victims Reparation Commission (CVRC)

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 966 appropriates $600.0 from the general fund to the Crime Victims Reparation Fund

for the purpose funding in accordance with the provisions of the Crime Victims Reparation Act.

House Bill 966 give the Crime Victims Reparation Commission the ability to order payment of

tuition to post-secondary educational institutions on behalf of children, adult children and

spouses of homicide victims pursuant to guidelines established by the commission. The

proposed legislation adds language pertaining to no award of reparation shall be in excess of

$50,000 per family of a homicide victim.

House Bill 966 – Page

3

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $600.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2009 shall revert to the

general fund.

CVRC states the appropriation is sufficient for the change in coverage costs. CVRC notes

without the appropriation the commission would not have enough funds to pay for this change.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Crime Victims Reparation Commission was created by Section 31-22-4 NMSA 1978 to

provide a mechanism for compensating crime victims or their dependents for death or bodily

injury resulting from violent crimes. Eligibility for reparation awards, limits on the award per

victim, and required deductions for payments received from collateral sources are specified by

law. The commission board consists of five gubernatorial appointees and operates under the

Crime Victims Reparation Act. In fiscal year 2006, the commission processed 258 claims for

child sexual abuse and 30 for physical abuse with a payout of $174,700; 53 drunken driving

claims were processed, of which 25 resulted in deaths, with a payout of $74,400; and 251

domestic violence claims, of which 18 were homicides, with a payout of $372,700.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

CVRC states the proposed legislation will add to the work of the commission because of the

tuition assistance. CVRC reports the extent of the extra administrative work is unknown.

RPG/nt