TO: | Honorable Jaime Capelo, Chair, House Committee on Public Health |
FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB1560 by Coleman (Relating to a study of indoor molds conducted by the Texas Department of Health. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
---|---|
2004 | ($17,500) |
2005 | ($2,500) |
2006 | $0 |
2007 | $0 |
2008 | $0 |
Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGENERAL REVENUE FUND 1 |
---|---|
2004 | ($17,500) |
2005 | ($2,500) |
2006 | $0 |
2007 | $0 |
2008 | $0 |
The Texas Department of Health (TDH) made the following assumptions:
1. The agency would develop a list of federal agencies and scientific and medical experts to consult; and would gather information from these entities through personal phone and email consultations. Travel may be necessary at a cost of $3,000 General Revenue for fiscal year 2004.
2. An advisory committee would be selected to assist TDH in conducting the required study. There would be approximately six meetings of the committee in Austin prior to December 1, 2004. Committee members would not be reimbursed for travel to these meetings. There would be an estimated cost of $1,500 General Revenue for fiscal year 2004 for purchase and/or reproduction of reference materials needed for the study.
3. Due to the short time line for completing the required report (by December 1, 2004), and limited program staff, assistance will be needed to prepare the report, it is anticipated that a task force will be created and be able to prepare a rough draft for the department.
4. The report would be published as a TDH publication, with printing costs estimated at $2,000 General Revenue for fiscal year 2005. Postage costs for mailing of the publication to requestors is estimated at $500 General Revenue for fiscal year 2005. The report would also be posted on the TDH website, thereby reducing the need for larger quantities of hard copies and resulting postage to distribute.
TDH indicated that similar studies have typically required approximately 600 hours of time from 3 FTEs classified such as a team consisting of an Environmental Specialist V and two Environmental Specialist IVs with a total estimated cost (including some travel and other operating costs) to the agency of approximately $20,000.
TDH indicated that the costs would normally be absorbed by the agency unless funding reductions or multiple assignments such as this limit the agency's ability to absorb the additional costs. Therefore, TDH assumes no fiscal significant impact associated with the implementation of the bill.
Source Agencies: | 501 Department of Health, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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LBB Staff: | JK, KF, EB
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