SS SCS SB 410 -- SUBSTANCE ABUSE TRAFFIC OFFENDER PROGRAM

SPONSOR:  Shields

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Health
Care Policy by a vote of 14 to 0.

This substitute revises provisions pertaining to the Substance
Abuse Traffic Offender Program.

The substitute:

(1)  Requires that some of the moneys deposited in the Health
Initiatives Fund be used for the administration of the program;

(2)  Requires that persons who have had their driver's license
suspended or revoked for various reasons enroll and complete the
program or a comparable program determined by the Department of
Mental Health;

(3)  Requires that enrollees in the program pay a supplemental
fee in addition to a required fee.  The amount of the
supplemental fee will be determined by the department.  This
requirement applies to persons who are guilty of
intoxication-related offenses and various other offenses; and

(4)  Requires administrators to remit to the Division of Alcohol
and Drug Abuse all supplemental fees, less 2% for administrative
costs.  Administrators who fail to remit the supplemental fees
and interest on any unpaid supplemental fee balance will be
subject to a penalty or legal action by the Attorney General.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Income to Mental Health Earnings Fund
of $181,328 in FY 2004, $490,729 in FY 2005, and $490,729 in FY
2006.  Estimated Net Savings to Health Initiatives Fund of
$1,365,680 in FY 2004, FY 2005, and FY 2006.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say the current fees collected from
participants in the program are inadequate to cover the
increasing costs of administering the program.  The bill as it
passed the Senate will improve the administration of the program
and the collection of fees.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Shields; Division of Alcohol
and Drug Abuse, Department of Mental Health; and Office of the
Attorney General.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:13 am