LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 2, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on
               Insurance
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1283  by Wise (Relating to a study of barriers to
               providing binational health benefit plan coverage.), As
               Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would require the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the
Texas Department of Health (TDH) to jointly study the provision of health
benefit plan coverage in Texas to people who are not residents of this
state or any other state of the U.S.  The study would identify legal and
practical impediments to providing binational health plan coverage and
include recommendations to facilitate provision of binational health plan
coverage.

The bill directs TDI and TDH to jointly issue a report of their findings
and include proposals for legislation to the Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 1,
2002. The bill gives TDI and TDH joint authority to appoint an advisory
committee to assist with the study.  TDI estimates that it would require
a total of two Full-time equivalent (FTE) positions the first year and
two-thirds of an FTE the second year. It is assumed any additional
resources needed to implement the provisions of the bill could reasonably
be absorbed within the two agencies.

If the bill does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, the
bill takes effect September 1, 2001.  The bill expires on December 31,
2002.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   454   Texas Department of Insurance, 501   Texas
                   Department of Health
LBB Staff:         JK, JO, RT, DE