121st Maine Legislature
Office of Fiscal and Program Review
LD 1567
An Act To Implement Recommendations of the MCJUSTIS Policy Board Concerning the Drafting of Crimes and Civil Violations Pursuant to Resolve 1997, Chapter 105, as Amended    
LR 0526(01)
Fiscal Note for Original Bill
Sponsor:  Rep. Norbert of Portland
Committee: Judiciary
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
   
             
Fiscal Note
Current Cost - State Mandate
State Mandate
New or Expanded Activity Unit Affected Costs
This bill requires changes to be made to the District Attorneys' "Justware" computer system.  Additional staff time and consultant services at the county level to change current templates could create significant costs.  Unless General Fund appropriations are provided to fund at least 90% of the additional costs or a Mandate Preamble is amended to the bill and two-thirds of the members of each House vote to exempt this mandate from the funding requirement, the District Attorneys may not be required to implement these changes.  County Significant
Fiscal Detail and Notes
This bill makes technical and statutory cite changes to ensure that each crime and civil violation has its own unique statutory cite.  This bill will require changes to be made to the "Justware" computer system used by the District Attorneys.  In addition, the requirement  to implement changes in Part R of the bill may require the Judicial Department  to hire a contracted programmer.  The estimated cost could be as high as $30,000.  The Judicial Department has two legislative bond initiatives, LD 665 and LD 1591, that would replace the Violations Bureau computer system and would allow the changes identified in this bill to be incorporated into the new system without any additional costs.