LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session March 25, 1999 TO: Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair, House Committee on Public Health FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1371 by Burnam (Relating to the penalty for disclosing a person's HIV status.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * 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. * ************************************************************************** The bill relates to the penalty for disclosing a person's human immunodeficiency virus status. This bill would increase the civil penalty for negligently releasing or disclosing a test result to not more than $5,000. The bill would increase the civil penalty for willfully releasing or disclosing a test result to not less than $5,000, nor more than $10,000. The changes in the law apply only to a violation that occurs on or after the effective date of the Act. The revision to the law is only an increase of the existing civil penalties. The Texas Department as well as local health departments may receive subpoenas for information in the event of a law suit. However, procedures for responding to such requests are already in place and would not require change. An increase in law suits or requests for information as a result of this bill is not anticipated. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, TP