2016 HB 168 proposes to add requirements for fiscal and policy analysis. What is a fiscal and policy note?
The Department of Legislative Services (DLS) is required by law to provide a written estimate of the fiscal impact on State and local government finances for all proposed legislation. A small business impact assessment is also required. These “fiscal notes” also include a plain English summary of the bill and current law, plus relevant background information.
HB 168 proposes to add whether each piece of legislation will have an impact on the criminal justice system. In part, fiscal and policy notes on each bill must include, when applicable:
- Whether the legislation creates a crime
- If it alters penalties, sentencing, and parole
- Significantly alters an existing offense in Maryland code;
- Estimate of the number of criminal cases affected
- Fiscal impact of detention and imprisonment, impact on existing facilities and/or need for more
Introduced in a prior session, this bill’s 2015 fiscal note states, in part:
DLS notes that it does not typically request information from DJS, DPSCS, or the Judiciary for bills that create a criminal offense or alter criminal penalties in cases where the new offense or penalty is not the primary function or purpose of the bill. However, under the bill, DLS must request information from these agencies for every instance in which a criminal offense or penalty is created or modified.
Hearing 3/02 at 1:00 p.m.
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