LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 28, 2003

TO:
Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB71 by Zaffirini (Relating to the computation of time limits for receipt of financial assistance for certain recipients.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB71, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($512,886) 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 ($255,346)
2005 ($257,540)
2006 ($271,486)
2007 ($248,485)
2008 ($228,067)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1 		Probable Savings/(Cost) from
GR MATCH FOR MEDICAID
758 		Probable Savings/(Cost) from
FEDERAL FUNDS
555
2004 ($242,841) ($12,505) ($38,434)
2005 ($257,540) $0 $0
2006 ($271,486) $0 $0
2007 ($248,485) $0 $0
2008 ($228,067) $0 $0

Given the limited availability of TANF federal funds, for the purposes of this fiscal note, General Revenue is assumed as the Method of Financing. Should additional TANF federal funding be available, $194,791 in fiscal year 2004 and $230,234 in fiscal year 2005 in General Revenue costs assumed above could be financed with TANF federal funding.


Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Section 31.0065, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsection (g) requiring the Department of Human Services to exclude the period during which an employed recipient receives the earned income disregard when computing time limits for financial assistance.

Methodology

The Department of Human Services (DHS) estimated that there would be 336 more adults receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) per month. DHS determined the percentage of TANF cases with Earned Income Disregard who exhausted their 12/24/36 time limit and applied it to the projected number of adults estimated to exhaust their 12/24/36 time limit. An additional four months of TANF is assumed for the adult by DHS. A retention factor was also applied to these adults to simulate the number who would receive the additional four months of TANF. (DHS Note: under the 12/24/36 time limit only the adult is removed from the case when their time limit is exhausted).  


Technology

The Department of Human Services estimate included technology support costs of $87,160 in All Funds in fiscal year 2004 for computer programming changes to legacy automated information systems and the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System or TIERS.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
320 Texas Workforce Commission, 324 Department of Human Services, 501 Department of Health, 529 Health and Human Services Commission
LBB Staff:
JK, EB, KF, ML