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



SPONSOR: Lopez DATE TYPED: 02/08/99 HB
SHORT TITLE: Guardianship & Conservatorship Services SB SJM25
ANALYST: Gonzales


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
Minimal



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

State Agency on Aging

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Human Services Department (HSD)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



Senate Joint Memorial 25 requests the Office of the Attorney General to form a task force consisting of: family members of persons in need of guardianship or conservatorship services; community-based providers of developmental disability, mental health and aging services; the elder law section of the New Mexico bar association; advocacy organizations; the department of Health; the Human Services Department; the Children, Youth and Families Department the State Agency on Aging; the Administrative Office of the Courts; and providers of guardianship and conservatorship services to coordinate a study to review and recommend revisions to policies, procedures and rules pertaining to guardianship and conservatorship services. This memorial further directs the Office of the Attorney General to report its findings and recommendation, if any, to the appropriate legislative interim committee prior to the second session of the forty-fourth legislature.



Significant Issues



According to the State Agency on Aging, "agencies that provide these services frequently have waiting lists, so individuals are left [in an] untenable situation with no one legally able to assist them...this service is not adequately available, so some individuals are forced to have a conservator who may not need one." Conservatorships can also be very expensive.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



There is no appropriation provided in the bill.



ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



Minimal. Agencies represented on the task force will incur staff time and travel to participate.



JMG/gm