121st Maine Legislature
		Office of Fiscal and Program Review
		LD 683
		An Act To Require the State To Assume All Costs for Corrections Currently Paid by Local Taxpayers
		LR 133801(01)
		Fiscal Note for Original Bill
		Sponsor: Rep. Blanchette
		Committee: State and Local Government
		Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
	Undetermined current biennium cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This concept draft proposes to shift the costs to operate and maintain the county jail system from the local property tax base to the General Fund.  The Department of Corrections estimates that the cost to operate  county jails is approximately $48 million annually.  Currently, the General Fund  appropriates $5.2 million annually to the County Jail Prisoner Support and Community Corrections Fund within the Department of Corrections to subsidize county jail costs statewide.  If enacted, this concept draft will require a General Fund appropriation of $43 million which includes the cost of approximately $80,000 for a correctional monitor position to audit the county jail funding requests.