LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session March 17, 1999 TO: Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair, House Committee on Public Health FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1444 by Delisi (Relating to local public health services.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB1444, As Introduced: negative impact of $(46,626,124) through * * the biennium ending August 31, 2001. * * * * 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 provide for the creation of a program for * * population-based grants for essential public health services and * * the creation of a local public health consortium. * ************************************************************************** General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2000 $(15,686,353) * * 2001 (30,939,771) * * 2002 (30,939,771) * * 2003 (30,939,771) * * 2004 (30,939,771) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Probable Change in Number of * * Year Savings/(Cost) from Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from * * General Revenue Fund Estimated Other FY 1999 * * 0001 Educational and * * General Income * * Account- GR Dedicated * * 2000 $(15,686,353) $(379,328) 13.0 * * 2001 (30,939,771) (379,328) 19.0 * * 2002 (30,939,771) (379,328) 19.0 * * 2003 (30,939,771) (379,328) 19.0 * * 2004 (30,939,771) (379,328) 19.0 * ************************************************************************** Technology Impact The technology impact includes personal computers and software upgrades for new Full-Time Equivalent positions. Fiscal Analysis The bill would require the Department of Health to administer a program to distribute grants to counties and municipalities for essential public health services. The department would be required to provide essential public health services in areas where a municipality or county is not receiving a grant to provide those services. The department would be required to evaluate the effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of services provided under the grant program and to file a report no later than January 1 of every odd-numbered year to the governor and presiding officer of each house of the legislature detailing the results of the evaluation. The bill would require the department to establish a local public health consortium composed of health science facilities. Responsibilities of the consortium would include: developing and distributing curricula on training for public health workers; conducting research on health status outcomes; developing performance standards; and studying the technology infrastructure available to local health units. Methodology The Department of Health would increase the number of Full-Time Equivalent positions by 12, eight of which would be located in regional offices to oversee population-based grants. Contracts with local health departments that currently contract with the department would be increased by $100,000 per year each. Contracts with existing health departments that do not currently contract with the department would average $200,000 each for the 80 non-participating health departments. There would be 36 new health departments or other appropriate entities that would receive an average grant of $200,000 each. Costs are reduced by fifty percent in the first year for an implementation period. It is assumed that health science facilities with schools of public health could implement the provisions of the bill within existing resources as they currently conduct similar research and training activities. The University of Texas System estimates that for University of Texas institutions overall, $331,445 per fiscal year in General Revenue and $379,328 per fiscal year in Other Educational and General Income Account funds would be needed, as well as seven additional Full-Time Equivalent positions, to implement the provisions of this bill. Local Government Impact Counties and/or unincorporated municipalities would realize a positive fiscal impact through state funding for essential public health services, either through directly through grants to the county or unincorporated municipality or indirectly if the Department of Health provides the services. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, TP, KF