LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 22, 2007

TO:	Honorable Rob Eissler, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB346 by Flynn (relating to random testing of certain public school students for steroid use. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the University Interscholastic League (UIL) to establish and administer a random steroid testing program involving a statistically significant number of students.  The bill would require the UIL to pay the costs associated with the steriod testing program and would authorize the imposition of a spectator admission fee at athletic competitions to provide revenue for this purpose.

 

The UIL estimates that a testing program involving 3% of student participants would cost a minimum of $4.5 million annually. The estimate does not include the cost of collecting and monitoring samples.  Costs for follow-up testing in the event that a positive result is appealed are not included in the estimate.

Local Government Impact

The bill would require school districts to test students selected by the UIL.  Assuming that UIL would pay the laboratory fee associated with the test, school districts would experience costs associated with collecting, monitoring, and submitting samples for students randomly selected by the UIL.  If these local administrative costs are also to be paid through the fees authorized to offset the costs of the program, there would be no net fiscal implications for school districts.

Source Agencies:

UIL University Interscholastic League, 701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, UP, JSp