LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 399

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JANUARY 22, 1997

      Bill Summary:

      Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 399 of 1996 amends section 4 of P.L.1993, c.249 (C.52:27D-409) to make the reporting of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult mandatory instead of permissive.

      Agency Comments:

      The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Office of Management and Budget have not provided any fiscal information on the legislation.

      Office of Legislative Services Comments:

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) is not able to estimate the cost associated with the legislation as the number of new cases that may now be reported is not known.

      OLS notes the following adult protective services expenditures:

∙    In State FY 1996, county welfare agencies expended over $2.6 million on adult protective services.

∙    The State's FY 1996 Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Pre-Expenditure Report identifies $1.2 million in federal and $5.5 million in State funds being expended by the Division of Youth and Family Services on adult protective services. In addition, $1.1 million in federal SSBG funds are awarded to county welfare agencies for adult protective services not identified above. (Counties may have to provide a match for these funds.)

∙    DHSS' FY 1997 budget includes $1.7 million in Casino Revenue Funds for adult protective services grants. (Some or all of these funds may be included in the $2.6 million cited above that counties expend on these services.)

      This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

T his fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.