OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS

Legislative Office Building, Room 5200

Hartford, CT 06106 ¯ (860) 240-0200

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

sSB-105

AN ACT PROHIBITING THE SALE OF ELECTRONIC DEFENSE WEAPONS.

As Amended by Senate "A" (LCO 4362)

House Calendar No. : 416

Senate Calendar No. : 271

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:

Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

The bill makes it a crime (with several exceptions for various authorized personnel), punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 and/or up to one year imprisonment, for a person selling or delivering an electronic defense weapon. To the extent that offenders are subject to incarceration or probation supervision in the community as a result of the bill, a potential cost to criminal justice agencies exists. On average, it costs the state $2,150 to supervise an offender on probation in the community as compared to $35,040 to incarcerate the offender (note that both figures include fringe benefits).

Senate Amendment “A” expanded the scope of activity specified as criminal under the bill. It could thereby result in a state cost for incarceration and/or probation supervision in the community. Any revenue gain from criminal fines under the amendment is anticipated to be minimal.

The Out Years

The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

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 House thereof for any purpose.