Honorable Jerry Madden, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB43 by Davis, Yvonne (Relating to requiring the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to conduct a mandatory human immunodeficiency virus test on certain inmates and state jail felons.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to conduct a mandatory human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test on inmates and state jail felons before they are released. TDCJ would be required to report the results of a positive test to the Department of State Health Services. The bill would also require TDCJ to adopt HIV testing and management policies for state jail inmates identical to the policies in place for institutional division inmates. Although the bill would increase the hours of required medical staff time, TDCJ states that the additional demands on medical staff could be absorbed within existing resources. The additional cost from mandatory HIV testing is not expected to be significant.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.