LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 7, 2001
TO: Honorable Mike Moncrief, Chair, Senate Committee on
Health & Human Services
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1008 by Zaffirini (Relating to resource requirements
under the temporary assistance for needy families program
and the food stamp program.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* SB1008, As Introduced: negative impact of $(11,670,039) 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(4,026,334) *
* 2003 (7,643,705) *
* 2004 (8,884,882) *
* 2005 (9,390,718) *
* 2006 (9,726,002) *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Probable Change in Number of *
* Year Savings/(Cost) from Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from *
* General Revenue Fund Federal Funds - FY 2001 *
* 0001 Federal *
* 0555 *
* 2002 $(4,026,334) $(927,494) 47.0 *
* 2003 (7,643,705) (1,626,937) 89.0 *
* 2004 (8,884,882) (1,780,453) 103.0 *
* 2005 (9,390,718) (1,797,726) 106.0 *
* 2006 (9,726,002) (1,825,808) 108.0 *
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Given the limited availability of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) federal funds, for the purposes of this fiscal note General
Revenue is assumed as the method of financing. Should additional TANF
federal funds become available, $3,098,840 in FY 2002 and $6,016,768 in
FY 2003 in General Revenue costs assumed above could be financed with
TANF federal funds.
Although funds to administer the Food Stamp program are appropriated in
the state budget, Food Stamp benefits to clients are not. The estimated
value of Food Stamps benefits could increase by $18.4 million in FY 2002,
rising to $45.1 million by FY 2006. Food Stamp benefits are 100 percent
federally funded.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend Sections 31.032 (d) and (e), Human Resources Code,
related to the countable value of a vehicle. Provisions of the bill
would exclude the entire fair market value of one vehicle and the fair
market value of any other vehicle up to $5,000 per vehicle. In addition,
the bill adds Section 33.014 requiring the Department of Human Services
(DHS) to apply the vehicle allowance standard used in the TANF program
to the food stamp program, instead of the federal food stamp vehicle
allowance standards. This provision is a state option in the new federal
legislation, Public Law 106-387, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of
2001.
Methodology
The department indicated that approximately 320 TANF applications per
month are denied for resources. DHS assumed 80 percent of those were for
vehicles and would be approved under the provisions of the bill. In
addition, DHS assumed a 91 percent retention rate for TANF cases and the
average TANF grant per case was estimated to be $155.33 per month and
would rise approximately 3 percent per year to remain at 17 percent of
the federal poverty level.
DHS estimated approximately 2,000 food stamp applications per month were
denied for resources and assumed that 80 percent of those were for
vehicles and would be approved under the provisions of the bill. In
addition, DHS assumed a 91 percent retention rate for Food Stamp cases.
DHS estimated the average food stamp grant per case is $206.05 per month
increasing 2 percent per year for cost of living adjustments to the food
stamp benefits.
DHS based the need for additional staff to handle the added cases on time
studies.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 324 Texas Department of Human Services, 320 Texas
Workforce Commission
LBB Staff: JK, HD, KF, ML