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

SPONSOR

Youngberg

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/21/07

HB

1285

SHORT TITLE

Alcohol Sever Permits Time Limit

SB

ANALYST

C. Sanchez

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the District Attorneys (AODA)

Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court (BCMC)

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Department of Corrections (DC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 1285 shortens the time that alcohol server permits will be valid from five years to

three years from the date the permit was issued.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There will be additional expense to program presenters and servers because of the requirement

for more frequent programs.

According to the District Attorneys and the Corrections Department, it is difficult to determine

any fiscal impact that this bill might have on the state. By issuing the permits every three years

instead of every five years, perhaps the alcohol server’s more frequent attendance of alcohol

server education programs will better enable them not to serve alcohol to intoxicated individuals.

This could perhaps help prevent individuals from committing crimes while intoxicated. Perhaps

House Bill 1285 – Page

2

the bill could minimally reduce the Corrections Department’s inmate population and

probation/parole caseloads and the District Attorneys and Public Defender’s caseloads.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Passage of the bill will help protect the public from drunk drivers. Additional programs will give

servers more up-to-date information and expertise regarding how much alcohol individuals can

consume before they become a danger to the public. The additional training for the server also

stresses the importance of their duty and responsibility to quit serving alcohol to people before

they become intoxicated.

The proposed bill would require an amendment and/or rewriting of current liquor regulations and

related bills.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

On page 1, line 19, after the word “completion" insert a comma and the words “passes a test

approved by the director".

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The current law does not require testing. A server may be issued a server permit after obtaining a

certificate of completion of the program.

The fact that the server has sat through a program does not mean that the server has learned

anything or that the server is serious about the responsibility to refuse service to those who are

becoming intoxicated. Servers should be tested to determine their competency to be employed in

an occupation with such important duties to all New Mexicans.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Status Quo

CS/csd