LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              March 8, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health
               Services
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB519  by Zaffirini (Relating to testing for certain
               infections during pregnancy or on delivery of a child.),
               As Introduced
  
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*  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 would require the inclusion of serologic testing for hepatitis B
infection in pregnant women during gestation and at delivery. According
to the Department of Health (TDH), the bill provisions would conform
with current standard medical practices.
  
Local Government Impact
  
According to the Department of Health,  the bill would require city and
county health departments either to perform the prenatal serologic
testing for hepatitis B infection or refer the specimen to the TDH's
laboratory. It is assumed that city and county health departments
serving populations at risk for contracting hepatitis B and also
performing the testing in-house would absorb the greatest fiscal impact.

  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TP, RM