SB28 (2015) Detail

Establishing the transitional housing unit maintenance fund and authorizing the commissioner of the department of corrections to make deposits into the fund.


SB 28-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2015 SESSION

15-0724

04/05

SENATE BILL 28-FN

AN ACT establishing the transitional housing unit maintenance fund and authorizing the commissioner of the department of corrections to make deposits into the fund.

SPONSORS: Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20

COMMITTEE: Finance

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a transitional housing unit maintenance fund in the department of corrections and authorizes the commissioner to make deposits into the fund.

This bill is a request of the department of corrections.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

15-0724

04/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen

AN ACT establishing the transitional housing unit maintenance fund and authorizing the commissioner of the department of corrections to make deposits into the fund.

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

1 New Section; Transitional Housing Unit Maintenance Fund Established. Amend RSA 21-H by inserting after section 14-c the following new section:

21-H:14-d Transitional Housing Unit Maintenance Fund Established. There is established in the office of the commissioner a fund to be known as the transitional housing unit maintenance fund. This fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the commissioner for the purpose of the general care, maintenance, repair, and proper upkeep of transitional housing units. The commissioner shall collect funds as specified in RSA 651:25, V for deposit into the fund and may expend such funds as set forth in this section. The commissioner may also accept gifts, grants, and donations from any state or federal source for deposit into the fund.

2 Sentences; Release From State Prison. Amend RSA 651:25, V to read as follows:

V. A prisoner authorized to work at paid employment in the community under this section may be required to pay, and the commissioner of corrections is authorized to collect, such cost incident to the prisoner’s confinement as the commissioner deems appropriate and reasonable. [Such] The commissioner shall deposit 50 percent of such collections [shall be deposited] with the state treasurer as a part of the general revenue of the state. The commissioner shall deposit the remaining amount into the transitional housing unit maintenance fund established in RSA 21-H:14-d.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

15-0724

01/30/15

SB 28-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing the transitional housing unit maintenance fund and authorizing the commissioner of the department of corrections to make deposits into the fund.

FISCAL IMPACT:

    The Department of Corrections states this bill, as introduced, will increase state restricted revenue, increase state restricted expenditures, and decrease state general fund revenue by $157,406 in FY 2016 and each year thereafter. There is no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Corrections states this bill establishes the transitional housing unit maintenance fund for the purpose of general care, maintenance, repair and proper upkeep of transitional housing units. This bill redirects fifty percent of the room and board fee collected from prisoner’s living in the transitional housing units that would have otherwise been deposited into the general fund into the newly established transitional housing unit maintenance fund. The Department collects $9.00 per day in room and board from prisoner’s living in the transitional housing units. The Department assumes it collects the room and board rate ten months out of a year between the movement of prisoners into and out of the units and the time it takes the prisoners to obtain employment. Additionally, the Department assumes approximately 10 percent of the prisoners are not able to pay the room and board rate. Therefore, the Department assumes 115 of the 128 prisoners that reside in the transitional housing units will pay the room and board rate for 10 months out of the year. The Department estimates collecting $314,813 each year in room and board ($9.00 per day * 365 days a year * 83.33%(10 months out of 12) * 115 paying prisoners), with approximately $157,406 being deposited into the transitional housing unit maintenance fund and $157,406 being deposited into the general fund.