LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 3, 2007

TO:	Honorable David Swinford, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2142 by Rodriguez (Relating to the fraudulent advertising of pregnancy-related medical services; providing penalties.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would prohibit persons from advertising with the intent to deceptively create the impression that the person is a provider of pregnancy-related medical services if the person is not a health care provider authorized to provide such services; violation is a Class A misdemeanor and violators are subject to civil penalties. The bill would authorize the attorney general and district or county attorneys to sue to collect these civil penalties. It is assumed that the number of suits and criminal prosecutions would be small enough that they could be absorbed within available state resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. It is assumed that the number of suits would be small enough that they could be absorbed within available resources.

Source Agencies:

537 State Health Services, Department of

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, PP, LR