FISCAL NOTE

Date Requested: January 29, 2024
Time Requested: 03:20 PM
Agency: Attorney General, WV
CBD Number: Version: Bill Number: Resolution Number:
1531 Introduced HB5338
CBD Subject: Consumer Protection


FUND(S):

Attorney General – Consumer Protection Fund

Sources of Revenue:

Special Fund

Legislation creates:

Increases Existing Expenses, Creates New Fund: Consumer Privacy Fund



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


This bill places significant new and ongoing responsibilities on the Attorney General regarding receiving complaints and investigating potential violations of the new sections of code created by the bill (the Consumer Data Protection Act), as well as exclusive authority to pursue potential enforcement actions for any uncured violations of these new provisions. Although investigations and enforcement are left to the Attorney General’s discretion, any actions taken pursuant to this new Act would be a direct increase in expenses of the Office.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2024
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2025
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 100,000 100,000 100,000
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 10,000 20,000


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):


The numbers recorded above reflect the potential impact of this bill as creating the potential for an unknown number of new complaints, generating multiple new investigations and civil actions to be conducted by the Attorney General’s Office, as well as promulgating new rules for a process by which consumers can file complaints. Implementing this also would necessitate the creation of new rules establishing a process by which consumers could obtain information regarding their data and take other acting as contemplated in the bill. Depending on the number of cases filed, the cost to the State in terms of increased expenses could be considerable. However, such actions also bear the potential for some recovery in the form of fines, as reflected in the estimates of potential future revenue.



Memorandum






    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Curtis R. A. Capehart
    Email Address: curtis.r.a.capehart@wvago.gov