LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

SENATE, No. 1545

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 13, 1996

      Bill Summary:

      Senate Bill No. 1545 of 1996 requires employees at State facilities for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled to undergo criminal history record background checks at least every two years.

      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:

      At present, it costs around $50.00 to conduct a federal and State criminal history background check. As there are approximately 14,400 full and part time staff employed at the State psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers, conducting a federal and State criminal history background check on all employees would cost about $720,000, or $360,000 annually if phased-in over two years. As conducting criminal history background checks is a legitimate administrative cost, the State would be able to claim costs associated with conducting criminal history background checks in the cost reports that are prepared to determine federal Medicaid reimbursement rates for such facilities. The amount of federal Medicaid revenues the State might realize cannot be determined.

      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.