LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 10, 2009

TO:	Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2294 by Gattis (Relating to the establishment of the undiagnosed disease registry.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2294, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($1,882,862) 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	($1,088,841)
2011	($794,021)
2012	($811,065)
2013	($796,145)
2014	($813,261)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010	($1,088,841)	6.8
2011	($794,021)	9.0
2012	($811,065)	9.0
2013	($796,145)	9.0
2014	($813,261)	9.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to create an undiagnosed disease registry. The registry must be a central data bank that serves as a tool in the early recognition, prevention, cure, and control of undiagnosed diseases. The registry must include a record of the cases of undiagnosed diseases that result in death and information concerning the undiagnosed diseases for the recognition, prevention, cure, and control of undiagnosed diseases. DSHS must store samples of tissue corresponding to individual registry records. The bill requires DSHS to submit an annual report to the legislature on the undiagnosed disease registry.

Methodology

It is assumed that 6.8 full-time equivalents (FTEs) in fiscal year 2010 and 9 FTEs in fiscal year 2011 would be required to create and maintain the registry.  This includes one Program Specialist I to code the death certificates, three Public Health Technicians I to collect the samples, one Laboratory Technologist I to store and catalog the samples, one Research Specialist III to link medical records systems and record processing and matching of the records, one Epidemiologist III to write reports and perform data analysis, one Programmer IV to build and maintain web-based registry, and one Medical Research Specialist who will be the scientific lead and the director of the registry. The FTE associated costs are estimated to be $662,841 in fiscal year 2010 and approximately $794,021 in fiscal year 2011 and beyond; these costs include salary, benefits, travel, and other associated expenses.

 

DSHS estimates it will need 3 ultra cold freezers to store the tissue samples- one freezer in fiscal year 2010, one in fiscal year 2012, and one more in fiscal year 2014 at a cost of $16,000 each.

 

DSHS estimates that $410,000 is needed to build the web-based registry in fiscal year 2010.

Technology

DSHS estimates it would take 4,000 hours to create a web-based registry at a cost of $100 per hour for a total of $400,000 in fiscal year 2010. DSHS also estimates it would need $10,000 to purchase necessary software in fiscal year 2010.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

537 State Health Services, Department of

LBB Staff:

JOB, CL, BM, MB