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)

Relates to HB 2, SB 2 and SB 421

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC files

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

Administrative Office of the District Attorneys (AODA)

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

State Parole Board (SPB)

Children, Youth and Families Dept (CYFD)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

The purpose of this Bill is to provide a one time $25,000.00 appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2000 in order to provide coordinated law enforcement action to combat increased drug and criminal activity in Northern Santa Fe County and Southern and Central Rio Arriba County.

Significant Issues

To combat drug trafficking and criminal enforcement in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There is a $25,000.00 one time appropriation from the State General Fund to DPS for specific expenditure in Northern Santa Fe County and Southern and Central Rio Arriba County. Any unencumbered balance at the end of the year 2000 will revert to the general fund.

DPS reports it is unknown whether passage of the proposed legislation will effect any other local, state, or federal matching funds or appropriations.

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)reports any fiscal impact on the judiciary would be proportional to the specific enforcement effort to combat increased drug and criminal activity and commenced prosecutions. Law enforcement action, focused in a particular region and around specific criminal behavior, has the potential to increase caseloads in courts, thus requiring additional resources to handle the increase.

Also, increased workload would include not only initial case processing and judicial time, but also tracking cases to completion, including probation and compliance with other conditions of release.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DPS reports it is administrative impact is indeterminate at this time.

AOC reports there is an administrative impact on the court resulting from added judicial time needed to dispose of these types of cases in the manner provided under the law.

The Administrative Office of the District Attorneys' (AODA) reports the District Attorney in the First Judicial District has been meeting with residents of these areas for some time now and he wholeheartedly supports these efforts. It is believed that these activities would have strong community support. Rio Arriba County currently has the highest drug-related death rate per capita in the country. These areas have virtually no municipal law enforcement and must rely totally on county and state law enforcement officials. The rural nature of this area makes it prime territory for drug activity and all associated crime that comes with this lifestyle. This area is in dire need of some pro-active law enforcement efforts, and this bill will provide for that.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The Department of Health (DOH) indicates the DPS reports there has been increased drug trafficking in this region in the past several years. This has generated significant concern in the referenced communities at the executive level of DOH. There are several community-based coalitions to combat substance abuse in southern Rio Arriba and northern Santa Fe counties that include representatives from law enforcement, DOH, and Children Youth and Families Department. The Rio Arriba Family Care Network receives a small amount of money from DOH ($10,000) to support these community planning activities. Also, in the past year, DOH has initiated a harm reduction program in southern Rio Arriba County, providing syringe exchange and counseling to IV drug users. Law enforcement officers are aware of this program and have collaborated with DOH staff in its implementation.

DOH staff members are committed to working on the problem of substance abuse in this region in a coordinated effort. SB 217 could facilitate the positive working relationships already established between local staff of the involved agencies. However, the bill lacks specificity regarding the nature of the "coordinated law enforcement action" being proposed and how such efforts would be implemented. In addition, there is an absence of specificity regarding how the $25,000 would be utilized. Would the funds augment existing processes, be used to add to some enforcement actions, hire a facilitator or existing coalitions, create a new one, pay for officer time etc.?

LAT/gm