COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. No.: 2635-01

Bill No.: SB 687

Subject: Crimes and Punishments: Children and Minors

Type: Original

Date: January 8, 2002




FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005
General Revenue ($7,735) ($7,967) ($8,206)
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

State Funds

($7,735) ($7,967) ($8,206)



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005
None
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005
Local Government0 $0 $0 $0

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 3 pages.



FISCAL ANALYSIS



ASSUMPTION



Officials from the Department of Health (DOH), Office of Prosecution Services and the State Public Defender assume the proposed legislation would not fiscally impact their organizations.



Officials from the Department of Social Services - Division of Family Services (DOS -DFS) stated the proposed legislation would fiscally impact their organization due to the long term need to inform the public, especially women of child rearing years. The DFS would need additional funding to cover costs of producing, publishing, and distributing this legislated information on a regular basis. DOS officials stated that the cost to produce about 85,000 brochures annually would be $7,735. DFS would distribute brochures to doctors offices, hospitals, clinics, WIC offices, all county offices of state agencies, county health agencies, colleges and universities and professional health and social service organizations across the state.



FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2003

(10 Mo.)

FY 2004 FY 2005
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Costs - Department of Social Services
Equipment and Expense- Brochures ($7,735) ($7,967) ($8,206)
Total Costs - Department of Social Services



($7,735)


($7,967)


($8,206)
ESTIMATED EFFECT ON
GENERAL REVENUE FUND ($7,735) ($7,967) ($8,206)


FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 2003

(10 Mo.)

FY 2004 FY 2005
$0 $0 $0



FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business



No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.



DESCRIPTION



This proposal, known as the "Safe Newborns Act of 2001", would protect a parent from prosecution of abandonment, for leaving a newborn, who is 30 days old or younger and has not been physically abused, at a licensed medical facility. The medical facility must treat the child, if necessary. If the parent expresses no intent to return for the infant, the medical facility must

DESCRIPTION (continued)



contact the Division of Family Services, which would be required to take physical custody of the child within 6 hours of contact.



The Division of Family Services would provide information and answer questions about the process established by this proposal on the statewide, toll-free telephone number maintained pursuant to section 210.145, RSMo. In addition, it would provide information by way of public service announcements, or by other ways to deliver information about the process.



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



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Department of Social Services

Department of Health

Office of Prosecution Services

State Public Defender













Mickey Wilson, CPA

Acting Director

January 8, 2002