Strategies to Reduce Fiscal Impacts of Legislation

Fiscal notes estimate the fiscal impact of legislation, including revenue impacts, state expenditures, and appropriations required. However, fiscal notes are decision-making tools for legislators, and the General Assembly is ultimately responsible for making appropriations and setting aside the state funding needed to implement legislation. This memorandum outlines several common strategies used to limit the fiscal impact of legislation, primarily expenditure impacts, and discusses how these strategies are treated in fiscal notes.