| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB46 by Nelson (Relating to a universal benefits issuance and identification card for health and human services programs.), As Introduced |
The bill would authorize the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop and implement a universal services card or other method to consolidate recipient identification and benefits issuance if determined to be feasible and cost-effective. The bill would require the commission to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a universal services card or other method and would authorize the commission to require the assistance of any health and human services agency and the Department of Information Resources.
It is assumed the commission would not develop or implement a card or other method if it were not determined to be feasible or cost-effective. The commission indicates that it has contracted for a feasibility study of a universal services card in the current biennium and that there would be no cost in 2006-2011 for the assessment required by the bill.
Implementation of a universal services card could potentially result in a savings to the state. However, an estimate has not been prepared at this time. The results of the study required by the bill should indicate the nature of the fiscal impact.
| Source Agencies: | 313 Department of Information Resources, 320 Texas Workforce Commission, 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, PP, SSt
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