SB 0641 - Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note - SB 0641 - Survivor grant program to include disabled public safety officer, officer's spouse and children

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION

FISCAL NOTE

L.R. NO. 2467-07

BILL NO. HCS For SB 641

SUBJECT: Law Enforcement Officers; Fire Protection; Disabilities; Employment Security

TYPE: Original

DATE: April 21, 1998

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FISCAL SUMMARY

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
General Revenue	($0 to $321,000)	($0 to $321,000)	($0 to $321,000)
Total Estimated Net Effect on All State Funds	($0 to $321,000)	($0 to $321,000)	($0 to $321,000)

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
None	$0	$0	$0
Total Estimated Net Effect on All Federal Funds	$0	$0	$0

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
Local Government	$0	$0	$0

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses

This fiscal note contains 4 pages.

FISCAL ANALYSIS

ASSUMPTION

Officials of the Department of Public Safety - Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Department of Corrections, and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations assume this proposal would have no fiscal impact to their agencies.

Officials from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) assume the department's state park rangers have been added to the definition of a public safety officer. The department has 43 state park rangers and 20 commissioned state park superintendents that would be included in the definition of a public safety officer and therefore eligible to participate in the Survivor Grant Program.

Officials from the Coordinating Board For Higher Education (CBHE) stated that the number of permanently and totally disabled public safety officers and subsequently the number of eligible spouses or other dependents that would qualify for the program as a result of this proposal is unknown. There is no way of estimating the number of public safety officers that would become permanently and totally disabled in the future, and whether or not their qualified spouses and/or dependents would choose to take advantage of this program if it were expanded as proposed. CBHE officials stated that as currently constituted the program is very small averaging 2 to 3 participants per year. The average award to qualified recipients is approximately $1,500 per year.

In a similar proposal from the previous legislative session, the Oversight Division estimated the fiscal impact based on information from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Statistical Abstract of the United States, Coordinating Board For Higher Education and Department of Natural Resources. Total "employees" and "public safety officers" as defined by the bill were estimated at 34,191. Of this amount, 30,157 were public safety officers (PSO). Per the Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol, approximately .6% of highway patrolmen are disabled. Applying the Highway Patrol percentage to the population of "employees" and "public safety officers" would result in 205 (34,191 x .6%) employees and public safety officers disabled. 64% of the disabled were considered as being within the age range to possibly have college student dependents, based on the age group breakdown in the statistical abstract. Assuming one qualifying dependent per PSO and employee, there would be 131 (205 x 64%) dependents eligible. This proposal also allows for the disabled public safety officers to qualify for the grant, who would be estimated at 181 (30,157 x .6%). This proposal would also make the spouses of public safety officers eligible for the grant. Applying information from the 1990 Census of Population and Housing, 56% of Missouri's population were married with a spouse present, to our approximate number of disabled public safety

ASSUMPTION (continued)

officers, would leave an estimated 101 (30,157 x .6% x 56%) spouses to qualify.

Based on the Statistical Abstract of the United States, 33.1% of the population is a high school graduate and 18.4% attended some college, but did not attain a degree. Therefore, the Oversight Division multiplied the populations eligible for the grants by 50%. Oversight also multiplied the qualifying public safety officers and spouses by 30%, since this would include the age groups likely to attend college.

The combined number of individuals potentially eligible for this grant as a result of this proposal would be:

131 children of disabled public safety officers or employees + 181 disabled public safety officers + 101 spouses of disabled public safety officers = 413 eligible grantees. The 131 children were multiplied by 50% for children likely to attend college, for a total of 65 children. The 181 disabled public safety officers plus 101 spouses would total 282. Therefore, 282 x 50% likely to attend college x 30% in an age group likely to attend college = 42. Therefore, the total eligible population likely to attend college would include 107 (65 + 42) individuals. With an annual tuition amount of $3,000, the total possible additional grants would be $321,000 annually. Oversight has ranged the fiscal impact from $0 to the maximum amount estimated ($321,000).

FISCAL IMPACT - State Government	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
	(10 Mo.)
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Cost-Coordinating Board For Higher Education
Scholarships	($0 to	($0 to	($0 to
	$321,000)	$321,000)	$321,000)
FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government	FY 1999	FY 2000	FY 2001
	(10 Mo.)
	0	0	0
FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business

No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.

DESCRIPTION

This proposal would provide college grants, subject to appropriation, for children of public safety officers and certain employees of the Department of Highways and Transportation who were killed or permanently and totally disabled in the line of duty. A child is eligible under current law only when such parent was killed in the line of duty. The definition of "public safety officer" would be expanded to include capitol police officers and park rangers. It would also make the spouse of public safety officers and disabled public safety officers themselves eligible for college grants.

A "permanent and total disability" would be defined as one which renders a person unable to work and which is expected to result in death or to last for at least twelve months. "Line of duty"

would be defined as any action whose primary function was crime control, enforcement of criminal laws or suppression of fires, that was authorized by law or regulation.

If a person suffering from a permanent and total disability ceased to have such disability, neither the child, the spouse or the public safety officer or employee would be eligible for this grant money.

This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Coordinating Board for Higher Education

Department of Public Safety

Department of Highways and Transportation

Missouri Department of Conservation

Department of Natural Resources

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Department of Corrections

Jeanne Jarrett, CPA

Director

April 21, 1998