Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB652 by Zaffirini (Relating to the maintenance of emergency contact and medical information databases by the Texas Department of Public Safety.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB652, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010
$0
2011
$0
2012
$0
2013
$0
2014
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from State Highway Fund 6
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010
($677,561)
12.0
2011
($435,457)
12.0
2012
($435,457)
12.0
2013
($477,493)
12.0
2014
($435,457)
12.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would add Transportation Code, Section 521.060 which would require the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to maintain in its files a record of the name, address, and telephone number of an individual authorized by the driver license or identification certificate holder as the individual to be contacted in the event the holder is injured or dies as a result of a serious accident or another emergency situation. The bill would require DPS to maintain a record of any medical information or any health condition information voluntarily provided. The bill would require DPS to modify application paperwork for an original, renewal, or duplicate driver’s license or personal identification certificate to allow, but not require, applicants to provide the name, address, and telephone number of their emergency contact. The bill also would require DPS to establish and maintain agency Internet website forms and procedures allowing persons to add emergency contacts. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2009.
Methodology
This analysis estimates the Department of Public Safety (DPS) would require 12 additional employees (administrative assistants) to comply with the provision of this bill. DPS reports in fiscal year 2008 it issued 5,323,443 driver licenses and 839,135 identification cards. This analysis assumes it will take 1 additional minute per applicant to comply with the provisions of this bill. DPS reports there are 108,750 working minutes in a year. To estimate the number of additional full-time administrative assistants needed for the driver license offices, the number of licenses and cards issued was multiplied by the number of additional minutes needed and then divided by the number of working minutes in a year (5,323,443 + 839,135) * 1 minute)/108,750 minutes in a working year). The number of additional full-time administrative assistants needed for the customer service bureau was estimated based on a 25 percent participation as a result of complying with the provision of this bill.
The total estimated cost for these additional responsibilities including salaries, benefits, equipment, professional services, and other operating costs would equal $677,561 in fiscal year 2010, $435,457 in fiscal years 2011 and 2012, $477,493 in fiscal year 2013, $435,457 in fiscal year 2014.
Technology
The technology costs for fiscal year 2010 include $222,364 for programming modifications to the driver license system, basic computer equipment, and enterprise agreements. The technology costs for fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2014 include costs for enterprise agreements. Technology costs in fiscal year 2013 include additional costs for equipment replacement as well as enterprise agreements.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.