LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
April 12, 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 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.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB2978, As Introduced: 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. *
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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) *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*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) *
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Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require a person convicted 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 prostitution per year, which represents an assumed conviction rate of
50 percent of persons arrested for the offense. It is assumed that all
persons convicted 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