NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

The LFC is only preparing FIRs on bills referred to the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. The chief clerks are responsible for preparing and issuing all other bill analyses.

Only the most recent FIR version, excluding attachments, is available on the Intranet. Previously issued FIRs and attachments may be obtained from the LFC office in Room 416 of the State Capitol Building.

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

HJM 80 requests the secretary of the Corrections Department, a representative of Corrections Corporation of America. The president of the District Judges Association, the Attorney General, the president of the District Attorneys Association, the chief public defender, a former female inmate selected by the director of the Women's Law Center, the director of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, the director of the New Mexico Council on Crime and Delinquency and the director of the American Civil Liberties Union to meet during the 1999 interim and study corrections policies regarding women, including corrections facility planning, inmate population and the availability of vocational and educational programs, treatment services, family services and reintegration programs. Also, the results of the study are to be presented to the Legislative Finance Committee no later than October 31, 1999.

Significant Issues

HJM 80 will slightly increase the administrative burden upon the secretary of corrections and the Corrections Department (CD) to participate in this study. This study may facilitate the Corrections Department's planning as well as communication with the legislature regarding issues involving female prison inmates.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The Administrative Office of the Courts reports HJM 80 does not state which entity will pay for the study.

HJM 80 will slightly increase costs to CD as a result of being required to participate in the study and submit information to the study committee. CD reports the agency should be able to absorb this minor increase in costs.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

CD reports, in the short term, the bill will increase the administrative burden upon the CD secretary as well as those department personnel who are required to submit information to the committee and participate in the study. The department should be able to absorb this increased administrative burden. In the long term, the study may facilitate the departments planning concerning female inmates.

LAT/gm