LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 17, 2009

TO:	Honorable Frank Corte, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1710 by Turner, Sylvester (Relating to requiring certain facilities located in certain areas prone to severe weather to have emergency generators.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules that would define areas of the state that are prone to severe weather.  It would also require the adoption of minimum standards to require each institution, assisted living facility, and special care facility licensed by a health and human service agency and located in an area prone to severe weather to provide emergency electrical power with an emergency generator located on the premises. 

HHSC reviewed disaster proclamations and determined that every county in Texas was declared a state of disaster due to severe weather in 2005.  This would indicate that facilities (that meet the definition outlined in the bill) in every county could be affected by the bill. 

It is assumed costs associated with the adoption of rules and minimum standards will be absorbed within existing resources. However, it is anticipated that the adoption of these rules may have a fiscal impact on private service providers.  To the extent that private providers' increasing costs have an effect on rates paid by the state, there could be a fiscal impact to the state. 

Local Government Impact

To the extent that Local Governments are providers of services outlined in the bill, there could be a fiscal impact; however, there is currently not sufficient information to determine the impact.

Source Agencies:

529 Health and Human Services Commission

LBB Staff:

JOB, PP, MB, ESi, LR