Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1568 by Coleman (relating to authority of the Harris County Hospital District and certain local governmental entities to appoint, contract for, or employ physicians.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Harris County Hospital District to appoint, contract for or employ physicians as necessary to fulfill the district’s statutory mandate to provide medical care for the indigent and needy residents of the district.
The bill would amend the Local Government Code to authorize the commissioners court of a county to appoint, contract for, or employ physicians to provide health care services to inmates in the custody of the sheriff.
Local Government Impact
There could be a fiscal impact to a county authorized to appoint, contract for, or employ physicians to provide health care services, but the amounts would vary depending on procedures currently established in a county. It is assumed that a county would employ physicians to provide health care services only if sufficient funds were available or it would not result in a negative fiscal impact.