LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 2, 2003

TO:	Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB342 by Shapleigh (Relating to health care for certain Texans.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would make a number of statutory changes relating to health care and related services.  Article 2 of the bill as substituted would require school districts, the Texas Building & Procurement Commission, and all state agencies procuring goods and services to give preference to goods or services of a vendor that demonstrates that it provides health benefits coverage to its employees. 

 

Article 3 of the bill directs the Department of Health to establish the Border Health Foundation as a non-profit organization not later than June 1, 2004.

 

Article 4 of the bill deals with education and recruitment of health care professionals. 

 

Section 4.01 of the bill as substituted would direct the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to collaborate with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish a pilot program to provide mentoring for students enrolled in health science technology and related courses and health care professionals practicing in the Texas-Mexico border region.  The Texas Education Agency would be directed to encourage districts to participate in the pilot program.

 

Section 4.02 of the bill as substituted would add Section 29.187, Education Code to require the TEA to establish a statewide network of summer study science instruction programs for students from ethnic or racial groups that are underrepresented in the fields of science and medicine.

 

Section 4.03 of the bill as substituted would require school districts in the Texas-Mexico border region to assess the adequacy of existing health science technology and college preparatory courses and programs in secondary schools.  Districts would be required to submit the results of these assessments to TEA.  TEA would be directed to compile the assessments and submit the compilation to state leadership by September 1, 2004.  Section 4.03 of the bill as substituted would expire January 1, 2005.

 

The bill would take effect September 1, 2003.

Local Government Impact

Local school districts in the border region that offer mentor programs could incur some costs, which are not anticipated to be significant.  Local school districts statewide could have fiscal implications related to providing summer study science instruction programs.  The bill is not specific about how this would be funded and costs, based on an expected 2.5 percent participation rate among eligible students, could be $18 million per year.

Source Agencies:	303 Building and Procurement Commission, 357 Office of Rural Community Affairs, 501 Department of Health, 701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff:	JK, JO, RR, KF, MB