LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 1, 2007

TO:	Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1973 by Delisi (Relating to the procedure regarding an application for a physician's license or registration.), As Engrossed

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1973, As Engrossed: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2008	$0
2009	$0
2010	$0
2011	$0
2012	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable (Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1	Probable Revenue Gain from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1
2008	($16,000)	$16,000
2009	$0	$0
2010	$0	$0
2011	$0	$0
2012	$0	$0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Occupations Code relating to the procedure regarding an application for a physician's license or registration. 

Section 1 of the bill requires the Texas Medical Board (TMB) to complete an annual review of licensure policies and processes and complete a needs assessment to determine performance goals to ensure timely completion of the licensure process. The report must include a projected yearly budget for board staffing and technology improvements that would allow for license issuance within a reasonable number of days.  Section 2 of the bill requires each applicant to submit detailed information to TMB on convictions or deferred adjudications for specified categories of violations.  Section 3 of the bill requires existing license holders to submit with their renewal applications information on convictions or deferred adjudications for specified categories of violations. 

 The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in each house.  If the bill does not receive a two-thirds vote in each house, the bill would take effect September 1, 2007.

Methodology

TMB anticipates that changes will be needed to both the on-line physician license application and physician registration/renewal application located on the TexasOnline website.  TMB estimates that in order to accomplish the bill's requirements for annual reporting of applicant criminal history information the agency would need to update the agency’s internal information technology systems.

TMB estimates a one-time cost of $10,000 for TexasOnline for the changes needed to report criminal history information.  In addition, the agency estimates a one-time contracted programming cost of $6,000 (80 total hours of programming at a rate of $75 per hour) in order to make updates to the agency’s internal IT systems.  The estimate includes analysis, design, coding, testing, and implementation of all aspects of the project.  Project management functions would be handled by the agency's internal IT staff. 

Based on the analysis of the agency, it is assumed that the Board would adjust license fees to cover any additional costs associated with the implementation of this bill.

Technology

TMB estimates a one-time cost of $16,000 in fiscal year 2008 for changes to the online physician license applicationa nd the physician registration renewal application.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

405 Department of Public Safety, 503 Texas Medical Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, CL, MW, NV, RC