121st Maine Legislature

Office of Fiscal and Program Review

LD 72

An Act to Improve Juvenile Rehabilitation

LR 0336(01)

Fiscal Note for Original Bill

Sponsor: Rep. Snowe-Mello

Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Fiscal Note Required: Yes

Fiscal Note

Projections

Projections

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

Net Cost (Savings)

General Fund

$1,050,000

$1,131,900

$1,220,188

$1,315,363

Appropriations/Allocations

General Fund

$1,050,000

$1,131,900

$1,220,188

$1,315,363

Fiscal Detail and Notes

The General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program within the Department of Education will require a General Fund appropriation of $1,050,000 in fiscal year 2003-04 and $1,131,900 in fiscal year 2004-05 to fund the requirements of this legislation.  This amount is based on the Department being responsible for the special education tuition of an additional 32 students currently placed by the Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services in similar facilities.  The actual cost may be higher or lower depending on the number of juveniles ordered to special purpose private schools.  The cost to provide these services is projected to increase 7.8% annually which is the growth rate used for State Agency Clients in the Commissioner's Recommended Funding Level for Fiscal Year 2003-04.

In addition to the above costs, the oligation of the Juvenile Community Corrections program within the Department of Corrections to a residential special purpose private school is $20,000 per year if the juvenile is eligible for special education and $45,000 per year otherwise.  The exact amount will depend on the number of juveniles ordered to special purpose private schools.  If some of these juveniles are wards of the state, these costs may be picked up by the Department of Human Services instead of Corrections.