SB 0602 - Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note - SB 0602 - Establishes a public notice and comment process for initiative petitions

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION

FISCAL NOTE

L.R. NO. 2666-01

BILL NO. SB 602

SUBJECT: Elections: Public Records

TYPE: Original

DATE: February 8, 1998

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FISCAL SUMMARY

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
General Revenue	($12,803)	($15,748)	($16,142)
Total Estimated Net Effect on All State Funds	($12,803)	($15,748)	($16,142)

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
Total Estimated Net Effect on All Federal Funds	$0	$0	$0

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
Local Government	$0	$0	$0

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses

This fiscal note contains 6 pages.

FISCAL ANALYSIS

ASSUMPTION

Officials of the following agencies/offices/commissions stated that either they would not be have any new duties due to this bill or that they could absorb costs of new duties:

Office of Administration, Attorney General, Senate, and House of Representatives.

Officials of the Secretary of State (SOS) note that the proposal would require their office to distribute the full text of, fiscal notes on and ballot titles of initiative petitions to local election authorities, other government officials and others who request them. Full texts would also be published in the Missouri Register and on SOS's world wide web site. SOS would also publish all public comments received between the date a petition form is filed and thirty days after publication of the official ballot title.

SOS officials would request 5/8 Data Entry Clerks II to data enter texts and public comments for publication on the world wide web and in the Register every other year. Officials estimated, based on history of initiatives, additional costs of $108,000 every other year for pages in the Register.

Oversight assumes that SOS would require 1/2 Clerk in all years and that additional Register publications would occur in all years. Oversight notes the SOS has statutory authority to change the price charged for the Register to cover costs of publication and assumes that the SOS will, if necessary, adjust prices so that they cover publication costs.

FISCAL IMPACT - State Government	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
	(10 Mo.)
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Income to Secretary of State (SOS)
Costs for Missouri Register	$72,700	$72,000	$72,000
Cost to Secretary of State (SOS)
Personal Service (.5 FTE)	$ 10,000	$12,300	$12,608
Fringe Benefits	2,803	3,448	3,534
Expense and Equipment	72,700	72,700	72,700
Administrative cost to SOS	($85,503)	($88,448)	($88,842)
NET EFFECT ON GENERAL
REVENUE FUND	($12,803)	($15,748)	($16,142)
FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
	(10 Mo.)
	$0	$0	$0
FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business

No direct fiscal effect on small businesses would be expected due to this proposal.

DESCRIPTION

This proposal would require the Secretary of State to distribute the full text of, fiscal notes on and ballot titles of initiative petitions to local election authorities, other government officials and others who request them. Full texts would also be published in the Missouri Register and on SOS's world wide web site. SOS would also publish all public comments received between the date a petition form is filed and thirty days after publication of the official ballot title.

Local election authorities would make all information provided by the Secretary of State available for public display.

This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space. This legislation would affect Total State Revenue.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Secretary of State

Attorney General

Office of Administration

Missouri House of Representatives

Missouri Senate

Jeanne Jarrett, CPA

Director

February 8, 1998