LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
February 18, 1997
TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 476
Committee on Health & Human Services By: Madla
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB476 ( Relating
to certain criminal background checks regarding applicants for
and holders of chemical dependency counselor licenses.) this
office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB476-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(224,000) 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
This bill would allow the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse (TCADA) to conduct criminal background checks on applicants
for and holders of chemical dependency counselor licenses, and
to obtain from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) information
relating to the wanted persons status of a license applicant
or license holder. The bill would also allow businesses that
employ licensed chemical dependency counselors to obtain information
from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) on the criminal history
record of an applicant or employee licensed as a chemical dependency
counselor. The bill would also allow such businesses to obtain
from the FBI information relating to the wanted persons status
of an individual.
Methodolgy
TCADA estimates conducting 3,200 criminal background checks
annually for applicants and holders of chemical dependency counselor
licenses. The current cost to conduct a criminal background
check is $25.00 paid to the FBI for a finger print card, and
$10.00 paid to the Department of Public Safety to do a set of
finger prints. This analysis assumes that DPS would continue
its current practice of forwarding completed finger print cards
to the FBI at no additional cost to TCADA. The bill does not
allow for a fee to recover the costs of conducting criminal
background checks.
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
Savings/(Cost)
from General
Revenue Fund
0001
1998 ($112,000)
1998 (112,000)
2000 (112,000)
2001 (112,000)
2002 (112,000)
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 ($112,000)
1999 (112,000)
2000 (112,000)
2001 (112,000)
2002 (112,000)
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:
405 Department of Public Safety
517 Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,MG