LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

Revision 1

April 21, 2003

TO:	Honorable Jaime Capelo, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3162 by Capelo (Relating to certain diseases or illnesses suffered by certain emergency first responders.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Under this bill, certain employees who are employed as first responders to an emergency are eligible for public safety benefits if they contract a disease, become ill, suffer total or partial disability or die from certain conditions. 

The substitute to the bill appears to exclude the retirement plans and public safety worker death benefits administered by the Employees Retirement System (ERS).  As a result, the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact on the public safety death benefits program and the disability retirement benefits administered by the ERS.

Local Government Impact

There would be costs to local government based on the number and type of claims filed by first responders.  The amount of cases that would be available for compensation under the provisions of the bill is unknown.

Source Agencies:	327 Employees Retirement System, 411 Commission on Fire Protection, 501 Department of Health
LBB Staff:	JK, SD, EB, ZS, KG