LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 4, 2001
TO: Honorable Mike Moncrief, Chair, Senate Committee on
Health & Human Services
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1586 by Moncrief (Relating to fees for copies of birth
and death certificates.), Committee Report 1st House,
Substituted
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* SB1586, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: negative impact *
* of $(4,151,000) 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(2,057,000) *
* 2003 (2,094,000) *
* 2004 (2,132,000) *
* 2005 (2,170,000) *
* 2006 (2,212,000) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
***********************************************************************
*Fiscal Probable Probable Probable Probable Change in *
* Year Savings/ Savings/ Revenue Revenue Number of *
* (Cost) from (Cost) to Gain/(Loss) Gain/(Loss) State *
* New General New General from to New Employees *
* Revenue Revenue General Re-Created from FY 2001 *
* Dedicated Dedicated Revenue Work and *
* Vital Vital Fund Family *
* Statistics Statistics 0001 Policies *
* Enhancement Enhancement Fund *
* Fund Fund *
* 2002 $2,363,000 $2,057,000 5.2 *
* $(2,665,928) $(2,057,000) *
* 2003 (2,699,790) 2,405,000 (2,094,000) 2,094,000 7.0 *
* 2004 (2,242,964) 2,449,000 (2,132,000) 2,132,000 6.0 *
* 2005 (2,216,964) 2,492,000 (2,170,000) 2,170,000 6.0 *
* 2006 (2,216,964) 2,540,000 (2,212,000) 2,212,000 6.0 *
***********************************************************************
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) to *
* All Local Units of Government *
* 2002 $1,677,000 *
* 2003 1,707,000 *
* 2004 1,738,000 *
* 2005 1,769,000 *
* 2006 1,803,000 *
*****************************************************
Technology Impact
According to the Texas Department of Health (TDH), costs of $1,108,416 in
FY 2002, and $496,102 in FY 2003 would be needed for the development and
enhancement of new and existing technology systems. It is estimated
$14,000 would be expended in FY 2002 for personal computers for the
additional FTEs.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would increase the fee collected relating to birth certificate
copies to $5, from $2. Two dollars of the fee collected would be credited
into the Work and Family Policies Fund, which the bill would also
re-create. The other $3 would be credited to the newly-created Vital
Statistics Enhancement Fund. An additional fee of $2 for issuing a
certified copy of a death certificate could also be collected and
deposited into the Vital Statistics Enhancement Fund. Local registrars
or county clerks would be allowed to retain $1.40 of the fees for
processing each certificate issued, which would be an increase of $1.20
over the amount retained under the current statute. Money in the Vital
Statistics Enhancement Fund would be used for developing and improving
electronic systems for reporting and storing vital statistics.
The bill would do one or more of the following: create or re-create a
dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or re-create a
special or trust fund either within or outside the state treasury, or
create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue
dedication included in the bill would be subject to funds consolidation
review by the current Legislature.
Methodology
It is assumed TDH would implement the provisions of the bill that specify
how the funds in the newly-created Vital Statistics Enhancement Fund may
be used.
According to TDH, expenditures would include grants awarded for local
system enhancements, various hardware and software for the development
and enhancement of new and existing technology, service and maintenance
contracts; and technical/educational assistance and training for local
registration officials. TDH estimates they would need seven additional
FTEs in fiscal years 2002-2003 and six in fiscal years 2004-2006.
According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the estimated revenue
deposited into the Vital Statistics Enhancement Fund would be $4,768,000
for the 2002-03 biennium.
Local Government Impact
Under the provisions of the bill, the Comptroller estimated that local
registrars or county clerks statewide would experience a revenue gain of
over $1.6 million in FY 2002. The amount of gain for each local office
would vary. Local courts that are already using automated systems may
also experience a slight savings as the Bureau of Vital Statistics
implements a paperless electronic reporting system.
Source Agencies: 501 Texas Department of Health, 304 Comptroller
of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK, HD, DB