| TO: | Honorable Frank Corte, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense Affairs & State-Federal Relations |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB88 by Branch (Relating to the evacuation and sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster.), As Introduced |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $0 |
| 2009 | $0 |
| 2010 | $0 |
| 2011 | $0 |
| 2012 | $0 |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from STATE HIGHWAY FUND 6 |
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2007 |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | ($886,050) | 2.0 |
| 2009 | ($885,087) | 2.0 |
| 2010 | ($1,140,087) | 2.0 |
| 2011 | ($885,087) | 2.0 |
| 2012 | ($885,087) | 2.0 |
This bill would amend the Government Code as it relates to the evacuation and sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster.
Section 1 of the bill amends Government Code, Section 418.043, which would require the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Division of Emergency Management to develop plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster in compliance with Government Code, Section 418.201 and any applicable federal law.
Section 2 of the bill adds Government Code, Section 418.201, Subchapter I, Animals, which further defines the terms "household pet" and "service animal". The bill adds Government Code, Section 418.202, Evacuation of Service Animals, which would require a person with a disability who uses a service animal be evacuated, transported, and sheltered with that service animal and that all shelters be informed of their obligation to provide shelter to both the person and the person's service animal. The bill adds Government Code, Section 418.203, Evacuation of Household Pets, which permits the simultaneous evacuation of a household pet and the pet's owner or caretaker, if the evacuation can be made without endangering human life. The bill permits the transportation of a household pet using public transportation if the pet is safely and securely confined in a pet transport cage or carrier and if the transportation of the pet would not endanger human life. The bill also states DPS' Division of Emergency Management shall coordinate the establishment of an identification system to enable the owner or caretaker of a household pet who is separated from owner during a disaster evacuation to locate and reclaim the pet. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2007.
Under the provisions of the bill, the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS), Division of Emergency Management would be required to develop plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster. DPS is currently receiving a federal grant that provides funding for the Special Needs Evacuation and Animal Tracking System which pays for equipment, computer software, and contract services for technical support. The grant is scheduled to expire at the end of fiscal year 2007. The agency estimates for fiscal years 2008 through 2012 are based on operating expenses that are expected after the federal grant expires in fiscal year 2007.
Based on the anticipated planning and coordination workload required by the bill, DPS estimates they would need 2 additional Emergency Planners at classification I/II under the B-9/B-11 salary group at $36,057 per person per year, for a total yearly salaries of $92,215 when benefits are included (2 FTEs X 36,057 + benefits = 92,215). With career progression, the cost would increase to $104,454 in fiscal years 2009-2012. The additional FTEs would be required to travel to coordinate program activities with state and local governments and included in the estimated cost are estimated travel cost of $11,500 per person per year for a total of $23,000 in fiscal years 2008-2012 ($11,500 X 2 FTEs). DPS states that professional services, other operating expenses, consumable equipment, and training costs required by the bill are an additional $203,636 in fiscal year 2008 and $197,170 in fiscal years 2009-2012.
The technology costs estimated to comply with the development of an emergency management tracking system to assist the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster include computer hardware, on-site computer technicians, database maintenance, and Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) equipment. In fiscal year 2009, the enterprise agreements costs would decrease. In fiscal year 2010, RFID lease activation fees will need to be paid at activation. In fiscal years 2011 and 2012, the technology impact will be the same as FY 2009. DPS states the revised technology cost estimates are: $566,899 in fiscal year 2008, $560,463 in fiscal year 2009, $815,463 in fiscal year 2010, and $560,463 in fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
There would be some costs to localities to evacuate and shelter service animals and household pets during a disaster, but it would depend on the frequency and nature of disasters in a community and the number of animals needing to be evacuated. The state would assist local governments if they do not have the required resources to do the job and have requested state support.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety, 301 Office of the Governor, 477 Commission on State Emergency Communications, 537 State Health Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, MS, LG, KJG, ES, VDS, GG
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