File No. 332

House of Representatives, March 31, 2008

The Committee on Environment reported through REP. ROY, R. of the 119th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONTROL OF LYME DISEASE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health and the director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, shall develop a comprehensive program to reduce the occurrence of Lyme disease in the state. The program shall make recommendations regarding necessary measures to achieve and maintain deer populations at a level that significantly reduces the occurrence of Lyme disease and restores forest health, increases public awareness concerning the critical role of deer in perpetuating the Lyme disease epidemic, and provides assistance to municipalities to achieve and maintain such goals.

The following fiscal impact statement and bill analysis are prepared for the benefit of members of the General Assembly, solely for the purpose of information, summarization, and explanation, and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose:

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:

Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact:

Explanation

The bill would result in a cost to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) of $70,335 in FY 09 and $207,602 in FY 10. It would also result in a cost to the Comptroller's Office in the amount of $14,667 in FY 09 and $63,360 in FY 10 for fringe benefits.

The costs to DEP are detailed in the table below:

In FY 09, the Wildlife Biologist II would coordinate with the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) to identify statewide demographics of Lyme disease. The biologist would also review existing municipal efforts regarding tick control and deer management strategies, and develop educational and technical assistance concepts and related materials. Additionally, the biologist would write a plan concerning the maintenance of deer populations at manageable levels, increase public awareness of the causes and prevention of Lyme disease, and assist municipalities in high Lyme disease incidence areas.

Also in FY 09, the Other Expenses cost of $10,000 is for a vehicle rental, fuel and maintenance; and Equipment costs of $2,500 reflects a computer and office supplies.

In FY 10, the Wildlife Biologist II would continue the tasks outlined above, in addition to a Wildlife Biologist I, who would meet with municipal officials and private landowners to provide technical assistance for deer management. This additional position would also assist in providing public awareness and public education on Lyme disease and deer management and monitor the effects of management efforts.

Other Expense and Equipment items in FY 10 are similar to those described for FY 09, but additionally include $40,800 for aerial surveys performed by contractors for deer population mapping.

Various municipalities could experience minimal costs associated with the refrigeration and processing of harvested deer.

The Out Years

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



OLR Bill Analysis

sHB 5852

AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONTROL OF LYME DISEASE.

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) commissioner, after consulting with the public health commissioner and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station director, to develop a comprehensive program to reduce the occurrence of Lyme disease.

The program must recommend measures designed to (1) achieve and maintain state deer populations at a level that significantly reduces the incidence of Lyme disease and restores forest health and (2) increase public awareness of the critical role deer play in perpetuating Lyme disease. The program must help municipalities achieve and maintain these goals.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

COMMITTEE ACTION

Environment Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute

¹ The fringe benefit costs for state employees are budgeted centrally in the Miscellaneous Accounts administered by the Comptroller. The first year fringe benefit costs for new positions do not include pension costs. The estimated first year fringe benefit rate as a percentage of payroll is 25.36%. The state's pension contribution is based upon the prior year's certification by the actuary for the State Employees Retirement System (SERS). The SERS fringe benefit rate is 33.27%, which when combined with the rate for non-pension fringe benefits totals 58.63%.