LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session April 29, 1997 TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 911, As Engrossed Committee on Health & Human Services By: Hirschi Senate Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB911 ( Relating to the management of persons with communicable diseases.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB911-As Engrossed No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 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 modify current law to require the Attorney General, if requested to do so by the Department of Health, to file a sworn written application for a court order for the management of a person with a communicable disease. The Department of Health could, among other provisions, also request that the Attorney General seek a modification of a commitment order or an order for outpatient treatment, and request that the Attorney General apply for a person's temporary detention pending the modification hearing. METHODOLOGY It is estimated that there would be up to four cases per year in which the Department of Health would make a request to the Attorney General for an application for the management of a person with a communicable disease. However, any additional costs to the Office of the Attorney General could be absorbed within existing resources. The bill would require counties to pay the costs for a hearing or proceeding for the court-ordered management of a person with a communicable disease under certain conditions. A county is entitled to reimbursement for costs actually paid by the county from the person who is the subject of the application or a person or estate liable for the person's support. There is, therefore, potential for some or all of a county's costs to be reimbursed. Source: Agencies: 501 Department of Health 302 Office of the Attorney General LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,KF