FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 21, 2017
Time Requested: 01:51 PM |
| Agency: |
Public Service Commission |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 1524 |
Introduced |
HB2605 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Public Safety, Taxation |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
8623 Public Service Commission Fund
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.
This draft bill would have significant financial impact on the Public Service Commission (PSC). Emergency communications centers are not public utilities as defined in W.Va. Code Chapters 24 or 24A. The PSC has very limited involvement pertaining to those centers, nor does it have the staff or requisite knowledge or expertise regarding operations of the existing 48 emergency communications centers to develop the consolidation plan contemplated by the draft bill. The PSC therefore would have to hire staff with knowledge and expertise in those areas and likely also retain an outside consultant to perform the necessary evaluation. The PSC does not have sufficient information about emergency communications centers to evaluate the financial impact on costs or revenues in other areas of state government.
Other agencies such as the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety may be better positioned to provide the necessary fiscal information and/or undertake the work proposed in the draft bill.
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 |
37,629 |
105,387 |
0 |
| Personal Services |
34,629 |
103,887 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
3,000 |
1,500 |
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 above, emergency communications centers are not public utilities as defined in W.Va. Code Chapters 24 or 24A. The PSC therefore does not have staff with the requisite knowledge or expertise regarding operations of the existing 48 emergency communications centers to develop the consolidation plan contemplated by the draft bill. The PSC would have to hire staff with knowledge and expertise in those areas and likely also retain an outside consultant to perform the necessary evaluation. The estimated total cost is an approximation based on the number of additional full-time staff that would be required to develop the consolidation plan. Because the PSC does not possess operational information about the emergency communications centers, however, that figure is only a rough estimate and could vary considerably. This is further complicated by the fact the PSC has been designated no ongoing responsibilities so the new staffing would only be of short term duration. This complicates the hiring process and would most likely lead to a temporary lateral assignment of employees between MAPS and the PSC. The better alternative would be to assign the responsibility for the consolidation to the agency most directly involved, on an ongoing basis, with the 911 Centers. For the same reason, the PSC cannot determine the cost to retain an outside consultant to perform the work required by the draft bill.
Calculations: FY2017 3 employees @ DOP market rates, 35.8% benefit allowance;$1,000 per employee annual current expense costs; first year includes computers, etc.; 2 months. FY2018 3 employees @ DOP market rates, 35.8% benefit allowance; $1,000 per employee annual current expense costs; 6 months. Plan completed by 1/1/18.
Memorandum
The PSC has only limited involvement with emergency communications centers and does not have existing personnel or other resources to complete the work contemplated by the draft bill. Other agencies such as the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety may be better positioned to provide the necessary fiscal information and/or undertake the work proposed in the draft bill.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Cheryl A. Ranson
Email Address: cranson@psc.state.wv.us