OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS

Legislative Office Building, Room 5200

Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200

http: //www.cga.ct.gov/ofa

HB-7601

AN ACT CONCERNING DEFICIT MITIGATION.

AMENDMENT

LCO No.: 7068

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:

Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

The amendment establishes a Commission for Minority and Protected Class Citizens (the commission) as a successor agency to the Commission on Aging, the Commission on Children, the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, the African-American Affairs Commission and the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission.

The commission would consist of six divisions: 1) the Children's Affairs Division, 2) the Elderly Affairs Division, 3) the Women's Affairs Division, 4) the African-American Affairs Division, 5) the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Division, and 6) the Asian Pacific American Affairs Division.

The commission may employ an executive director and two staff members assigned to each division. The total annualized cost for the commission is estimated to be $1.58 million (including fringe benefits) . The annualized FY 09 cost for the six current legislative commissions totals $4.25 million (including fringe benefits) . As the amendment is effective from passage, if the commission succeeded the six current legislative commissions the FY 09 savings (based on six months savings) is estimated to be $1.33 million.

The amendment increases the copayments for prescription drugs and office visits by 100% for employees of Legislative Management and members of the General Assembly who participate in the state employee health plan. This group represents 1.1% of the enrolled state employees and if implemented would save $100, 000 in FY 09 (six months) with an annualized savings of $200, 000 in FY 10.

The amendment reduces the number of 2009 General Assembly sessional employees by two-thirds. This would reduce the number of sessional employees to 57, from 170, and would result in a FY 09 savings of approximately $1.5 million.

The preceding Fiscal Impact statement is prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for the purposes of information, summarization and explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.