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Panel concurs with House on Internet‑crimes bill after hearing on projected incarceration costs
Summary
House Bill 82 would create/clarify Internet‑related crimes against children; fiscal‑note assumptions estimate three additional incarcerations per year at an estimated $92/day contract bed rate. After testimony from DOJ, DOC and law‑enforcement groups, the Finance and Claims committee concurred with the House bill.
House Bill 82, an Internet Crimes Against Children measure presented by Rep. Cathy Love, would create or revise statutes aimed at prosecuting online crimes against minors. Representative Love explained that the fiscal note projects additional felony convictions and related incarceration or supervision costs: the Department of Corrections estimated about three additional incarcerations per year, calculated at a contract bed rate of $92 per day (about $33,580 per person annually), with modest or uncertain fiscal impact on the Department of Justice and the Office of the Public Defender.
Allen Doane (Department of Justice) and other law‑enforcement groups testified in support, generally endorsing the bill and noting the fiscal note’s modest projected costs. "We agree with that for the most part," Doane said, noting the timeline to arrest and convict might make the first year estimate optimistic but reasonable in later years.
Senators questioned whether the statute would have a deterrent effect and how the new "grooming" offense’s penalties compare to existing child‑abuse statutes. Law‑enforcement representatives and DOC staff said deterrence is possible but difficult to quantify and DOC lacks historical data specific to the new offenses. Sen. Cuff asked about mental‑health and recidivism concerns for these offenders; DOC witnesses said data were limited but noted growth trends in certain offense categories.
During executive action the committee voted to concur with the House on HB82; the chair recorded concurrence and noted that a floor sponsor would carry the measure to the Senate floor.
The committee’s decision to concur means HB82 will move forward to floor consideration with the statute text and fiscal assumptions as transmitted from the House. Committee members noted the fiscal exposure is tied to the number of convictions and bed‑cost assumptions, and DOC/DOJ budget staff will track actual impacts if the law advances.
