LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 28, 2009

TO:	Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1322 by Hochberg (relating to the establishment of an online resource for teachers of students with special health needs. ), As Passed 2nd House

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1322, As Passed 2nd House: a negative impact of ($500,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

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
2010	($250,000)
2011	($250,000)
2012	($250,000)
2013	($250,000)
2014	($250,000)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2010	($250,000)
2011	($250,000)
2012	($250,000)
2013	($250,000)
2014	($250,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The Texas Education Agency estimates incurring one-time costs of $6,574 in fiscal year 2010 for contracted technical support to deploy the website and that workload to develop and maintain content in coordination with the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) could be accomodated using existing resources.  The Department of State Health Services and HHSC indicate that coordination activities to develop the on-line resource could be accomplished using existing resources.

The bill would amend the Insurance Code to require online posting of consumer information concering certain health benefit plans. It is assumed that any costs realized by the Texas Department of Insurance in implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.

The bill would amend the Family Code relating to creating an online resource center for judges and attorneys handling child abuse and neglect cases.  The bill would require the Office of Court Administration to contract with a qualified entity, as defined, to provide an online resource center for judges and attorneys handling child abuse and neglect cases.  The bill would require the online resource center to include an e-mail network, a discussion board, a document sharing system and other information materials as defined for judges and attorneys.  The bill would provide that the qualified entity with which the office contracts under this subchapter may obtain funding from private foundations and individuals, from state and federal grants, and from any other source to operate the online resource center. 

Methodology

According to the Office of Court Administration (OCA), an online resource center with components as defined by the bill would cost $250,000 to $375,000 annually to startup and maintain.  This analysis assumes costs to OCA for the new online resource center would be $250,000 each fiscal year, and any additional costs up to $125,000 would be funded by the qualified entity from donations from private foundations and individuals, federal grants, or other sources.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 454 Department of Insurance, 701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, JSp, TB, CH