SB170: making an appropriation to fund the cross border drug interdiction program.

SB 170-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

2019 SESSION

19-0208

04/03

SENATE BILL 170-FN-A

AN ACT making an appropriation to fund the cross border drug interdiction program.

SPONSORS: Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Morse, Dist 22; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. Barry, Hills. 21; Rep. Weyler, Rock. 13

COMMITTEE: Finance

ANALYSIS

This bill makes appropriations to the department of safety to fund the activities of the cross border drug interdiction program for the 2020-2021 biennium.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0208

04/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

AN ACT making an appropriation to fund the cross border drug interdiction program.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Cross Border Drug Interdiction Program; Appropriation.

I. The sum of $1,155,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2021 is hereby appropriated to the department of safety for the purpose of hiring 5 additional state troopers who shall be assigned exclusively to perform drug interdiction work in accordance with the cross border drug interdiction program established in RSA 21-P:68. Of the amount appropriated, $700,000 shall be expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 and $455,000 shall be expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021.

II. The sum of $940,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2021 is hereby appropriated to the department of safety. This sum shall be expended as follows:

(a) $352,300 shall be expended for the purpose of funding overtime for the state police mobile enforcement unit, with no more than 50 percent of the appropriation expended in each fiscal year of the biennium.

(b) $171,600 shall be expended for the purpose of funding overtime at the state forensic laboratory as a result of increased caseloads attributable to the cross border drug interdiction program established in RSA 21-P:68, with no more than 50 percent of the appropriation expended in each fiscal year of the biennium.

(c) $416,100 shall be expended for the purpose of funding overtime at the state police narcotics and investigations unit as a result of increased caseloads attributable to the cross border drug interdiction program established in RSA 21-P:68, with no more than 50 percent of the appropriation expended in each fiscal year of the biennium.

III. The sum of $2,400,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2021 is hereby appropriated to the department of safety to disburse grants to county and local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of funding overtime costs for county and local law enforcement officers performing law enforcement activities attributable to the substance abuse enforcement program established in RSA 21-P:66. No more than 50 percent of the appropriation shall be expended in each fiscal year of the biennium.

IV. For the appropriations made in this section, the governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

V. All appropriations made in this section shall not lapse until July 1, 2021.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.

LBAO

19-0208

12/31/18

SB 170-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT making an appropriation to fund the cross border drug interdiction program.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

Appropriation

$2,370,000

$2,125,000

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$2,440,210

$2,154,875

$500,000

$500,000

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ X ] Highway [ X ] Other - Turnpike

COUNTY:

Revenue

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

$0

$0

Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

$0

$0

LOCAL:

Revenue

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

$0

$0

Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

$0

$0

METHODOLOGY:

This bill appropriates $4,495,000 in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 to the Department of Safety for the purpose of funding activities pertaining to the Cross Board Drug Interdiction Program. The sum is appropriated as follows: $1,155,000 to hire five state troopers; $940,000 to fund overtime costs associated with mobile enforcement unit, forensic laboratory, and the state police narcotics and investigations unit; and $2,400,000 in grants to county and local law enforcement agencies for law enforcement and substance abuse enforcement activities.

The Department of Safety reports the appropriated sum in this bill for the hiring of five state troopers does not fully fund the estimated costs for five troopers. The Department’s estimate is based on the assumption the initial hiring and associated cost per state trooper hired in FY 2020 is $154,042 and the cost in FY 2021 is $96,975 per trooper, which results in estimated costs exceeding appropriations as follows:

FY 2020

FY 2021

Appropriations For 5 Troopers In Bill

$700,000

$455,000

Department’s Estimated Costs For 5 Troopers

$770,210

$484,875

Net Difference

($70,210)

($29,875)

It is assumed each new trooper position established in this bill would continue beyond FY 2021 and would cost approximately $100,000 per year in FY 2022 and FY 2023, for an estimated annual total of $500,000. Trooper positions are typically funded with a combination of general, highway, and turnpike funds.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety