LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session April 26, 1999 TO: Honorable Juan Hinojosa, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB2978 by Hamric (Relating to requiring an individual convicted of or receiving deferred adjudication for the offense of prostitution to undergo certain medical tests and to the creation of the offense of engaging in prostitution while knowingly infected with certain diseases.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB2978, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: negative impact * * of $(1,304,701) 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. * ************************************************************************** General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2000 $(649,387) * * 2001 (655,314) * * 2002 (655,314) * * 2003 (655,314) * * 2004 (655,314) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: *************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State * * Year General Revenue Fund Employees from FY 1999 * * 0001 * * 2000 $(649,387) 1.0 * * 2001 (655,314) 1.0 * * 2002 (655,314) 1.0 * * 2003 (655,314) 1.0 * * 2004 (655,314) 1.0 * *************************************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would require a person convicted of, or receiving deferred adjudication for the offense of prostitution, at the direction of the court, to undergo testing for a sexually transmitted disease, HIV infection or AIDS. The bill would allow counties to assess a fee, not to exceed $100, to offset the costs of testing. Methodology The Department of Health estimates that 3,214 persons would be convicted of or receive deferred adjudication for the offense of prostitution per year, which would assume either conviction or receipt of deferred adjudication of 50 percent of persons arrested for the offense. It is assumed that all persons either convicted or receiving deferred adjudication would be required to undergo testing. It is assumed that counties accounting for a majority (sixty percent) of the state population would most likely have resources available to conduct STD and HIV testing. It is assumed that counties without such resources would send samples to the Texas Department of Health for testing. Numbers in the table above reflect the estimated costs to conduct testing, add one laboratory Full-Time Equivalent position and associated costs. Local Government Impact Local units of government would incur increased costs to perform the medical procedures and perform the laboratory tests. It is assumed that local units of government without laboratory or hospital facilities would send test samples to the Texas Department of Health for analysis. Offsetting revenues could be assessed by the counties for medical procedures and laboratory analysis. Source Agencies: 501 Department of Health LBB Staff: JK, MD, KF