OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS

Legislative Office Building, Room 5200

Hartford, CT 06106 ↓ (860) 240-0200

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sHB-5802

AN ACT ADOPTING CERTAIN SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE THOMAS COMMISSION.

As Amended by House "A" (LCO 6505)

House Calendar No. : 149

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:

Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

The bill requires the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) to meet with and receive comments from specified state agencies when considering applications to build power plants. This has no fiscal impact on the CSC or the other various agencies.

The bill establishes a fine for the use of flammable gas to clean gas piping at a natural gas facility of up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment of no more than two years, which will result in a potential revenue gain of less than $500,000 to the General Fund. The estimate assumes that the establishment of a fine and/or imprisonment for this offense will increase the likelihood that an estimated 10 offenders annually would be prosecuted and receive harsher penalties than under current law. ¹

To the extent that these changes increase the likelihood that offenders would be prosecuted or receive harsher penalties than currently provided for, potential cost for incarceration and/or probation supervision in the community would result. On average, it costs the state $3,785 to supervise an offender on probation in the community as compared to $48,545 to incarcerate the offender.

The bill also results in a revenue gain to the Code Training Fund under the Department of Public Safety. The actual revenue gain can not be determined because the bill does not specify a fee amount.

House “A” increased the fine from $1,000 to up to $100,000 and increased the imprisonment from six months to up to two years. The amendment also made additional technical and clarifying changes that do not result in a fiscal impact.

The Out Years

The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.