CONTENT

The bill would revise the Criminal Assessments Act to increase the assessments of felony convictions from $40 to $60 and misdemeanor convictions from $30 to 50.

Currently, the law provides that persons convicted of certain felony and misdemeanor State or local offenses would pay an assessment to the Crime Victim Services Fund. The assessments are used to partially offset the cost of the Crime Victims Right Services Grant Program. The current rates are $40 for felony offenses and $30 for misdemeanor offenses.

FISCAL IMPACT

The fiscal impact would depend on the number of convictions and the compliance rate of those convicted. Statistically, misdemeanants account for 85% of the current revenue collected. In FY 1993-94, revenues amounted to $1,637,700 and $3,143,600 in FY 1994-95. This represented an increase of 48% which was due to the May 1994 increase in assessments. This increase was $30 to $40 for felonies, $20 to $30 for misdemeanors, and $0 to $20 for juvenile offenders.

The Governor’s FY 1996-97 budget recommendation reduced the General Fund portion of the Crime Victim Services Fund by $1,000,000 and increased the restricted amount by $1.0 million in anticipation of an increase in the assessments, and to shift the burden of compensation to victims away from the taxpayers to the offenders. Based on the statistical information, the Department of Management and Budget believes that the $1.0 million of increased revenue in FY 1996-97 is a conservative estimate.

Fiscal Analyst: M. Bain

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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.

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