LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 2, 2003

TO:
Honorable Jaime Capelo, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1930 by Capelo (Relating to certain fees and administrative penalties applicable to emergency medical services providers.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1930, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2005.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004 $0
2005 $0
2006 $0
2007 $0
2008 $0




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1 		Probable (Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1
2004 $254,740 ($254,740)
2005 $254,740 ($254,740)
2006 $254,740 ($254,740)
2007 $254,740 ($254,740)
2008 $254,740 ($254,740)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Chapter 773 of the Health and Safety Code to eliminate all emergency medical services regulatory and trauma facility designation fee caps and increases the cap on administrative penalties from $1,000 to $15,000 per violation. The bill mandates that the Texas Board of Health set fees necessary to recover the cost of administering the program.

Methodology

The Texas Department of Health made the following assumptions:

1. It would increase fees in an amount necessary to cover the cost of administering the program. TDH assumed that $1,226,510 of revenue would be received each year from fees relating to emergency medical services providers. This represents an increase of $224,340 per year over current collections.

2. With the increase cap on administrative penalties, TDH assumed that $100,000 of revenue would be received each year. This represents an increase of $30,400 per year over current collections.

3. All increases in revenue would be used to cover the cost of administering the program.

4. There would be no additional costs to the agency to collect and process these fees, as existing staff would continue to perform this function. 


Local Government Impact

Costs to emergency medical services (EMS) providers to implement the bill would depend on the actions of the Texas Department of Health (TDH). 

 

The cost to EMS providers to implement Sections 1 through 8, 10, and 11 of the bill would depend on the fee structure developed by TDH in the wake of the elimination of fee caps and the setting of fees to cover costs. The larger the increase, the greater the fiscal impact on EMS providers. The Austin-Travis County EMS Department reported certification fees of $7,825 forwarded to TDH in fiscal year 2002.  The Austin Fire Department reported that it spends approximately $12,500 per year in certification fees for its firefighters.

 

Implementing Section 9 of the bill would result in no significant fiscal impact to EMS providers unless the provider is penalized under Section 773.065(c), Heath and Safety Code.


Source Agencies:
501 Department of Health
LBB Staff:
JK, EB, KF, LW, KG