FISCAL NOTE

Date Requested: January 14, 2023
Time Requested: 03:01 PM
Agency: Attorney General, WV
CBD Number: Version: Bill Number: Resolution Number:
1035 Introduced HB2038
CBD Subject:


FUND(S):

Attorney General - General Revenue

Sources of Revenue:

General Fund

Legislation creates:

Increases Existing Expenses



Fiscal Note Summary


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


The effect of this bill on the operations of the Attorney General's Office would be difficult to project, given the uncertainty of possible future criminal election fraud cases that are not taken up by prosecutors. However, the only potential fiscal impact of this bill would be to increase operating costs.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2023
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2024
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 285,000 285,000 285,000
Personal Services 285,000 285,000 285,000
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):


The Attorney General's Office is implicated here in the event that the Secretary of State refers a criminal election fraud case to the Attorney General after a prosecutor declines to prosecute for at least 60 days. The uncertainty of the future likelihood of these circumstances makes a specific projection of associated increased costs difficult. However, in the event the bill passes, the Attorney General would have to prepare the Office for the possibility of such future prosecution, including but not limited to addressing related personnel/staffing issues. Given that the Office presently does not have personnel for this, the Attorney General estimates that at least 2 additional attorneys and 1 additional paralegal would be needed to perform this function, as reflected in the numbers provided above.



Memorandum


Please identify any areas of vagueness, technical defects, reasons a bill would not have a fiscal impact, and/or any special issues not captured elsewhere on this form.



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