FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 15, 2017
Time Requested: 01:54 PM |
| Agency: |
Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, WV |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1772 |
Introduced |
HB2480 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Corrections |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
6678
Sources of Revenue:
Special Fund
Legislation creates:
Neither Program nor Fund
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
Summary:
This Bill proposes that the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority (the Authority) change its method of billing jurisdictions from a daily rate to an hourly rate.
This change would require the Authority to completely revamp its billing system to create a mechanism to track and bill on an hourly basis, from the time an inmate is brought in to a facility until the time they are released. The costs of such a large undertaking is unknown at this time, but it would almost certainly be quite considerable.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2017
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2018
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 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 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
As noted in the summary above, this bill would increase costs to the Authority, but we are unable to determine the exact amount at this time. This change would require the Authority to completely revamp its billing system to create a mechanism to track and bill on an hourly basis, from the time an inmate is brought in to a facility until the time they are released. The costs of such a large undertaking is unknown at this time, but it would almost certainly be quite considerable.
Memorandum
Memorandum:
The Authority receives per diem revenue from Department of Corrections and various Federal Agencies as well as the Counties and Municipalities. None of these non-county revenue streams is addressed in this bill. Furthermore, the costs that the Authority incurs in housing inmates is not constant over a twenty- four- hour period. For example, one of the greatest expenses, booking, is incurred up front, and is the same regardless of how short an inmate’s stay may be. Since any hourly rate would have to take this into account, it is highly likely that any such rate would ultimately cost the counties more than they are currently being billed. For example, if the hourly rate were set at $4, the Counties would be charged $96 a day if an inmate were there for a whole day, as opposed to the current daily rate of $48.25. Given the small number of inmates that are incarcerated less than 24 hours, changing the billing process to an hourly rate would likely not be cost effective to the Counties.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Roger Townsend - CFO for RJA
Email Address: Roger.L.Townsend@wv.gov