LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 26, 2001
TO: Honorable Pat Haggerty, Chair, House Committee on
Corrections
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2583 by Chavez (Relating to AIDS, HIV, and hepatitis
education and testing for inmates and employees of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB2583, As Introduced: negative impact of $(2,005,000) through *
* the biennium ending August 31, 2003. *
* *
* 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 *
* 2002 $(2,005,000) *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 0 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 0 *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* General Revenue Fund *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $(2,005,000) *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 0 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 0 *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would include hepatitis with AIDS and HIV as illnesses for which
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice must provide educational
programs for inmates and employees. The Department would also be
responsible for developing a policy for handling persons with these
illnesses and for maintaining the confidentiality of test results. The
bill would require the Department to test all inmates 22 years of age or
older and who are sentenced to a term of confinement of more than two
years for AIDS, hepatitis or HIV infection. The bill would take effect
September 1, 2001.
Methodology
Under current policy, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice provides
HIV screening to inmates in high risk categories. Hepatitis testing is
provided upon request or as clinically indicated. During fiscal year
2000, the Department conducted approximately 57,000 HIV screenings and
30,000 hepatitis screenings. The Department estimates the average cost
for an HIV screening at $10.00. The average cost for hepatitis testing
is $25.00. It is estimated that there are currently 130,000 inmates 22
years of age or older with sentences of two years or more. Each year,
the Department receives approximately 30,000 new inmates meeting these
criteria. Assuming half the current inmates have not yet had screenings
(65,000), gives an estimate of 95,000 inmates requiring screenings the
first year and 30,000 screenings in subsequent years to screen all
inmates 22 years of age or older with sentences of two-years or more.
Subtracting the current levels of testing indicates a need for 38,000
additional HIV screenings and 65,000 additional hepatitis screenings in
the first year at an estimated cost of $2,005,000. It is assumed that
current levels of testing would meet the ongoing requirements of the
bill.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
Source Agencies: 696 Texas Department of Criminal Justice, 501
Texas Department of Health
LBB Staff: JK, JC, JN, VS