LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 27, 2005

TO:
Honorable Carlos Uresti, Chair, House Committee on Government Reform
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB799 by Uresti (Relating to a health passport for foster children.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB799, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($668,277) through the biennium ending August 31, 2007.

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
2006 ($650,056)
2007 ($18,221)
2008 ($18,221)
2009 ($18,221)
2010 ($18,221)




Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1 		Probable (Cost) from
FEDERAL FUNDS
555 		Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2005
2006 ($650,056) ($463,937) 2.5
2007 ($18,221) ($54,665) 0.5
2008 ($18,221) ($54,665) 0.5
2009 ($18,221) ($54,665) 0.5
2010 ($18,221) ($54,665) 0.5

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), in conjunction with the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), to provide a health passport for each foster child.  The passport must be maintained in an electronic format and include information specified by rules adopted by the HHSC Executive Commissioner.  The system used to access the passport must be secure and maintain the confidentiality of health records.  HHSC must provide training or instructional materials on how to use the passport.  DFPS must make passport information available to certain individuals in printed and electronic format.  The health passport system must be implemented by September 1, 2007.


Methodology

HHSC indicates it would need two servers, a software license, additional dedicated staff time, and a contractor with Websphere/Java programming experience to develop and support the health passport system.  The total cost would be $353,493 and 2.5 FTEs in fiscal year 2006, and $72,886 and 0.5 FTE in subsequent years.

DFPS indicates that it would need to build two interfaces, a medical passport web page, and a medical passport report printed from the application to implement the health passport system (total cost = $260,500 in fiscal year 2006).  The agency also indicates that it would need to become compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) (total cost = $500,000 in fiscal year 2006).


Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Department of Family and Protective Services
LBB Staff:
JOB, LB, KF, NM, RC