OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 ↓ (860) 240-0200
http: //www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
HB-5024
AN ACT CONCERNING VOTING RIGHTS.
AMENDMENT
LCO No.: 3493
File Copy No.: 303
House Calendar No.: 243
OFA Fiscal Note
Agency Affected |
Fund-Effect |
FY 13 $ |
FY 14 $ |
Department of Motor Vehicles |
TF - Revenue Loss |
Approximately $1.7 million |
Approximately $1.7 million |
Office of Governmental Accountability |
Citizens' Election Fund - Savings |
Approximately $1.6 million |
See Below |
Note: TF=Transportation Fund; GF=General Fund
Explanation
The amendment reduces all statewide and general assembly primary and general election grants from the Citizens' Election Fund (CEF) by the following amounts:
General Election | |||
Grant |
Original Amount |
Amendment Amount |
Difference |
Governor |
$6, 000, 000 |
$5, 400, 000 |
$600, 000 |
Lt. Governor |
$750, 000 |
$675, 000 |
$75, 000 |
Secretary of the State |
$750, 000 |
$675, 000 |
$75, 000 |
Comptroller |
$750, 000 |
$675, 000 |
$75, 000 |
Treasurer |
$750, 000 |
$675, 000 |
$75, 000 |
Attorney General |
$750, 000 |
$675, 000 |
$75, 000 |
State Senator |
$85, 000 |
$76, 500 |
$8, 500 |
State Representative |
$25, 000 |
$22, 500 |
$2, 500 |
Total |
$9, 860, 000 |
$8, 874, 000 |
$986, 000 |
Primary | |||
Grant |
Original Amount |
Amendment Amount |
Difference |
Governor |
$1, 250, 000 |
$1, 125, 000 |
$125, 000 |
Lt. Governor |
$375, 000 |
$337, 500 |
$37, 500 |
Secretary of the State |
$375, 000 |
$337, 500 |
$37, 500 |
Comptroller |
$375, 000 |
$337, 500 |
$37, 500 |
Treasurer |
$375, 000 |
$337, 500 |
$37, 500 |
Attorney General |
$375, 000 |
$337, 500 |
$37, 500 |
State Senator- Party Dominant District |
$75, 000 |
$67, 500 |
$7, 500 |
State Senator- Not Party Dominant |
$35, 000 |
$31, 500 |
$3, 500 |
State Representative- Party Dominant District |
$25, 000 |
$22, 500 |
$2, 500 |
State Representative- Not Party Dominant |
$10, 000 |
$9, 000 |
$1, 000 |
Total |
$3, 270, 000 |
$2, 943, 000 |
$327, 000 |
It also eliminates Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments until 2014 for general assembly elections and until 2018 for statewide elections. Lastly, the amendment eliminates fees for certain ID cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles and requires any savings achieved by the reduction in grants, as identified by the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) , to be transferred to the Special Transportation Fund to cover the revenue loss.
Based on the estimated cost of the November 2012 elections1, there is a savings to the Citizens' Election Fund in FY 13 of approximately $1.6 million associated with reducing General Assembly grants and postponing CPI adjustments until 2014.
During the November 2014 elections, there is a savings of approximately $3 million associated with the reduction in CEP grants. This includes a savings of approximately $2.1 million associated with a reduction in statewide grants, assuming eight participating statewide primary candidates, and nine participating statewide general election candidates. It also includes a savings of approximately $940, 000 associated with the reduction in General Assembly grants, assuming participation rates similar to the 2012 election.2 As grant awards can cross fiscal years, 2014 election savings could be achieved in either FY 14 or FY 15.
There is a revenue loss to the Special Transportation Fund of approximately $1.7 million annually3 associated with the elimination of ID card fees at the Department of Motor Vehicles. In FY 13, it is anticipated that this revenue loss will be largely offset by the transfer of $1.6 million in CEF savings to the Special Transportation Fund, assuming this is the amount of actual savings as determined by SEEC.
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. In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst's professional knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
1 Based on 2012 Citizens' Election Fund Sufficiency Report.
2 Analysis of 2014 Election savings does not include CPI adjustments for the General Assembly grants, or elimination of CPI adjustments for the statewide grants.
3 Based on fees collected in the past three fiscal years.