LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 1243

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 18, 1997

Bill Summary:

      Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 1243 of 1996 requires the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) to conduct a check of its child abuse records to determine if an incident of child abuse or neglect has been substantiated against any staff member of a child care center. Within two weeks after a new staff member's employment, the child care center would have to ask DYFS to check its child abuse records. DYFS must complete its review within 45 days after receiving the request. DYFS is permitted to charge the staff person for whom a background check is to be conducted a fee of up to $10.00 to help defray its cost associated with a child abuse record background check. (The center may pay the $10.00 fee or may reimburse the staff person for this fee.)

Agency Comments:

      The Department of Human Services 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 is not able to estimate the cost of the legislation. Whether the $10.00 fee DYFS may charge to defray the cost of checking its child abuse records to determine if an incident of child abuse or neglect has been substantiated against a staff member is sufficient to cover DYFS' costs will not be known until the program is implemented.

      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.

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