129th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 316		LR 806(02)
	An Act To Protect Adults 66 Years of Age and Older from Financial and Other Types of Exploitation through Theft by Deception
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2019-20	FY 2020-21	Projections  FY 2021-22	Projections  FY 2022-23
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$66,938	$89,250	$89,250	$89,250
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$66,938	$89,250	$89,250	$89,250
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill would raise the class of various theft crimes if the victim is a vulnerable person to a Class B crime. Currently theft from a vulnerable person could range from a Class E to a Class B crime, depending on the circumstances of the case.
	In 2018 the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services handled about 3,400 cases under the theft crime sections changed in this bill that were not already charged as Class B crimes. Of these, about 2-5% are estimated to have been committed against a vulnerable person. The average incremental cost to the commission of increasing these crimes from a class E, D, or C crime to a Class B crime is $750. As a result, this would represent increased costs to the commission of $51,000 to $127,500, or an average of $89,250 per year. The bill includes General Fund appropriations  to the commission of $66,938 in fiscal year 2019-20 and $89,250 in fiscal year 2020-21.
	In addition, the Maine Department of Corrections (DOC) will face increased costs due to more incarcerated individuals and individuals incarcerated for longer periods of time. It is unclear how many individuals would be convicted of a Class B crime who otherwise would have been charged with a lower class crime. The incremental cost of changing a Class C crime to a Class B crime is $27,506 per sentence. The incremental cost of changing a Class D or E crime to a class B crime is $71,611. The DOC has not indicated the need for additional funding at this time and no funding is included in the bill for DOC.
	The collection of additional fine revenue by the courts will increase General Fund and dedicated revenue by minor amounts.