Prison Fiscal Impact Statements (H 7343)

We strongly supported legislation which would have required fiscal impact analyses for any bills which increase or put in place criminal sentences.

Though hundreds of critical bills moving through our legislature are given fiscal scrutiny, no similar review process occurs for bills which increase or put in place criminal sentences even though they can have massive financial implications for our state corrections budget. We strongly supported legislation which would have required fiscal impact analyses for any such bills – which is a requirement already currently in place for legislation which would implement a mandatory minimum sentence – to ensure maximum transparency as to the fiscal impact of arbitrarily making certain offenses more punitive. This legislation died in committee.