Revision: June 11, 2009, midnight
HB 690-FN – VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
24Mar2009… 0709h
05/13/09 1532s
2009 SESSION
04/03
HOUSE BILL 690-FN
AN ACT establishing a cold case homicide unit.
SPONSORS: Rep. Hinkle, Hills 19; Rep. Hinch, Hills 19; Rep. D. Reed, Merr 2; Rep. Ulery, Hills 27; Sen. Roberge, Dist 9
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
This bill establishes a cold case homicide unit to work on unsolved murder cases in the state until July 1, 2013.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24Mar2009… 0709h
05/13/09 1532s
09-0695
04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
AN ACT establishing a cold case homicide unit.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Cold Case Homicide Unit.
I. The attorney general and the commissioner of the department of safety shall collaborate to establish a cold case homicide unit to work exclusively on unsolved murders in the state. The unit shall consist of such personnel from the division of state police and the department of justice as the commissioner of the department of safety and the attorney general shall determine. The commissioner and the attorney general, or their designees, shall develop procedures for the operation of the unit.
II. The departments of justice and safety shall jointly provide administrative support as may be necessary to the cold case unit.
III. The commissioner of the department of safety and the attorney general, or their designees, shall jointly issue a report on the activities and results of the cold case unit by December 1, 2010 to the governor, the speaker of the house of representative, the president of the senate, and the state librarian.
2 Funding. Funding for the state police and department of justice personnel for the cold case unit established in section 1 of this act shall be contingent upon the receipt of grants or federal funds for such purpose, including but not limited to, funds received pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, 111th Cong. (2009), or other such funds as may be specifically appropriated by the general court.
3 Repeal. Section 1 of this act, relative to the establishment of a cold case homicide unit, is repealed.
4 Effective Date.
I. Section 3 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2013.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
LBAO
09-0695
Amended 04/23/09
HB 690 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT establishing a cold case homicide unit.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety states this bill, as amended by the House (Amendment #2009-0709h), will increase state expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2010, FY 2011, FY 2012 and FY 2013. The Department of Justice states this bill will increase state expenditures by $63,352 in FY 2010, $60,859 in FY 2011, $62,617 in FY 2012, and $64,435 in FY 2013. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, or local revenues and county or local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes a cold case homicide unit to work on unsolved New Hampshire murder cases in the state until July 1, 2013. The Department of Safety states this bill will increase state expenditures due to the additional personnel costs as well as; costs associated with any unique or contracted forensic examinations or tests that might be required on evidence gathered in a cold case; other tests that may be contracted out; and additional administrative costs associated with providing support to the cold case unit. The Department of Safety estimates that the additional costs associated with the employment of two additional state police detectives and one additional paralegal would increase state expenditures by $221,322 in FY 2010, $229,152 in FY 2011, $241,524 in FY 2012, and $255,033 in FY 2013. The remainder of costs associated with the implementation of the proposed legislation is indeterminable.
The Department of Justice states this bill will increase state expenditures by $63,352 in FY 2010, $60,859 in FY 2011, $62,617 in FY 2012, and $64,435 in FY 2013. The Department of Justice’s estimate is based on 50% of the full time employment costs of an attorney, 12.5% of the full time employment costs of an administrative assistant, and associated overhead such as computer software and hardware, office supplies, and travel reimbursement. The Department of Justice states that additional costs associated with additional homicide prosecutions and legal advice to the Department of Safety could be absorbed within their current budget.
This bill does not contain an appropriation or establish positions.