OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http: //www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
HB-5908
AN ACT CONCERNING PROCEEDINGS AND OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
AMENDMENT
LCO No.: 5785
File Copy No.: 481
House Calendar No.: 265
OFA Fiscal Note
Agency Affected |
Fund-Effect |
FY 09 $ |
FY 10 $ |
Children & Families, Dept.; Mental Health & Addiction Services, Dept. |
GF – Cost & Savings |
See Below |
See Below |
Note: GF=General Fund
Explanation
The amendment would require the Department of Children and Families (DCF) , or the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) , prior to entering into a contract with a person or entity to operate a residential facility, to hold a public hearing on the proposed contract in the municipality in which the facility is to be located.
The agencies may have to expend funds for the use of a building within the municipality in which the site is to be located, and/or incur other ancillary costs associated with advertising and conducting a hearing.
The amendment also enables a municipality to delay or preclude a pending contract (to be entered into by either DCF or DMHAS) involving any residential facility, as it requires a 2/3 vote in favor of the contract by the municipality in which the facility is to be located. Fiscal impacts might result to the extent that this may delay or preclude payments of state funds to a provider and/or result in the need for either state agency to incur different costs to secure an alternate site.
It should be noted that it is assumed for purposes of this fiscal note that the amendment's provisions would not apply to the renewal of existing DCF or DMHAS contracts. Should it instead be interpreted to apply to existing contracts for residential services, a significant cost would result for both agencies to establish a public hearings process. Further impacts would depend upon the extent to which approval of any renewing residential contract is not given by affected local governments.
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.