Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2706, As Engrossed : an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2023. The bill would have a negative two-year impact of ($8,759,226) to General Revenue - Dedicated Compensation to Victims of Crime Account No 0469. Balances and revenues to Account 469 are estimated to be insufficient to cover costs to implement the bill. Additionally, Article 56B.454 of the Code of Criminal Procedures states that General Revenue may not be used for compensation to victims of crime payments.

The bill would amend multiple articles of the Code of Criminal Procedure to include a "health provider" that operates a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE) program under Chapter 323 of the Health and Safety Code as an entity eligible to receive reimbursements for emergency medical care expenses for examination for reported and non-reported sexual assaults.

The bill would amend Chapter 323 of the Health and Safety Code, to include Subchapter A for emergency services provided by health care facilities and Subchapter B, for emergency services provided by sexual assault forensic examination programs.

The bill establishes the SAFE program and includes it as an entity that may provide emergency services to victims of sexual assault.

The bill adds provisions in Chapter 323 of the Health and Safety Code, that would include availability of shower facilities at no cost for victims of sexual assault seeking an exam if they are available.

The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure, to prohibit the use of evidence collected during the exam in certain cases.

It is assumed that the provisions of the bill would result in increased participation in the Crime Victims' Compensation Program. The Office of the Attorney General indicates that the increase in participation would require an additional 3 Administrative Assistants II FTEs, 4 Reimbursement Officer III FTEs, 1 Accountant II FTE, and 1 Accountant I FTE to accommodate an increased workload.

In addition to FTE costs, the Office of the Attorney General anticipates one-time costs of for vendor hours to update the claims management system workflow used for crime victim claims.

The expected five-year cost of the bill is $22.8 million.

Note that the Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 56B.454 states the Office of the Attorney General may not make compensation payments that exceed the amount of money available in the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund (Fund 0469) and states general revenue may not be used for compensation to victims of crime payments. The forecasted cash balances and revenues in Fund 0469 are insufficient to support the additional costs to the Crime Victims Services program that would arise as a result of passage of this bill.
 
According to the Health and Human Services Commission, any work resulting from the provisions of the bill would be absorbed within current resources.

According to the Department of Public Safety, no fiscal implication is anticipated.

	FY 2022	FY 2023	FY 2024	FY 2025	FY 2026
New EMC Applications	2,618	2,749	2,804	2,860	2,917
Avg Payment with 2% increase	$1,109	$1,131	$1,154	$1,177	$1,200
Total Increase New EMCs	$2,903,362	$3,109,119	$3,235,816	$3,366,220	$3,500,400

The CVC Program utilizes an outside CCV to process medical bills. The current CCV contract allows for cost increases in the cost per bill. The CVC Program conservatively estimates that each new EMC application will have three bills per application. The table below outlines the additional increase.

	FY 2022	FY 2023	FY 2024	FY 2025	FY 2026
New EMC Bills (3 per app)	7,854	8,247	8,412	8,580	8,751
CCV per bill	$8.90	$9.20	$9.40	$9.40	$9.40
Total Increase for CCV	$69,901	$75,872	$79,073	$80,652	$82,259

The Office of the Attorney General indicates that the bill would require salaries and wages for 3 Administrative Assistant II ($105,048), 4 Reimbursement Officer II ($183,092), 3 Accountant II ($39,729), and 1 Accountant I ($39,640). In addition to the increase in costs for salaries and wages is a $125,027 per year increase in costs for employee benefits and $23,100 per year in costs for travel expenses. Additionally, a onetime cost of $49,000 would be anticipated for vendor hours to update the claims management system workflow used for crime victims claims.