LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 21, 1997
TO: Honorable Allen Hightower, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 214, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Committee on Corrections By: Staples
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB214 ( Relating
to the provision of health care to an inmate confined in a facility
operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice.) this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB214-Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
positive impact of $497,000 to General Revenue Related Funds
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code by requiring inmates
confined in facilities operated by or under contract with the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), other than halfway
houses, who initiate visits to a health care provider to make
a $3.00 copayment per visit to TDCJ. Application of this provision
would apply to inmates confined in said TDCJ facilities on or
after January 1, 1998. Provisions are made for specific exemptions
to the copayment requirement.
Money received as a result
of copayments would be deposited in a new dedicated account
in the General Revenue Fund that may be used only to pay the
cost of administering the copayment requirements. At the beginning
of each fiscal year, the Comptroller would transfer any surplus
from the preceding fiscal year to the credit of the General
Revenue Fund.
Methodolgy
It is estimated the proposed copayment plan would reduce inmate
sick-call visits by 30 percent, and that 75 percent of the remaining
visits would be exempted from the copayment charge. The average
number of visits subject to the copayment is then applied to
the projected number of inmates confined in TDCJ facilities
who would have sufficient funds to cover charges.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Five Year Impact:
Fiscal Year Probable Probable Revenue Probable Revenue
Savings/(Cost) Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from
from New New GR-Dedicated General Revenue
GR-Dedicated Account - Fund
Account -
8021 8021 0001
1998 ($100,000) $597,000 $0
1998 897,000 497,000
2000 897,000 897,000
2001 897,000 897,000
2002 897,000 897,000
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1998 $0
1999 497,000
2000 897,000
2001 897,000
2002 897,000
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: Agencies: 696 Department of Criminal Justice
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK ,CB ,JN