LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 74th Regular Session April 6, 1995 TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair IN RE: Committee Substitute Committee on Health & Human Services for Senate Senate Bill No. 519 Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No. 519 (Relating to peer assistance and reporting programs for students enrolled in certain professional educational programs.) this office has determined the following: The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill would authorize approved peer assistance programs to provide services to impaired students. Services provided to students would not be required to be commensurate with services offered to impaired professionals. The Board of Nurse Examiners estimates the cost of providing services to impaired students of nursing educational programs would be $26,250 per year out of General Revenue - Consolidated, Fund No. 001. The Board assumes 25-50 nursing students would be referred to the peer assistance program. The cost of providing services to impaired students of other approved peer assistance programs cannot be determined. The bill would also require professional nursing educational programs or registered nurses to report students suspected of being impaired by chemical dependency to the Board. The bill provides that the student may be reported to the nursing educational program in lieu of the Board. Administrative costs associated with implementing this provision could rise, but any increase would not be significant. The bill would have no fiscal implication to units of local government. The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of the bill during each of the first five years following passage is estimated as follows: Fiscal Probable Cost Out Year of General Revenue Fund 001 1996 $26,250 1997 26,250 1998 26,250 1999 26,250 2000 26,250 Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the provisions of the bill are in effect. No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source: Legislative Budget Board LBB Staff: JK, JF, DF