| TO: | Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2315 by Coleman (Relating to a county's general revenue levy for indigent health care.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to include the payment of principal or interest on county debt in funds not considered “general revenue levy.” Currently, in order to receive state funding, a county is required to spend at least 8 percent of its general revenue levy for indigent health care for eligible residents without access to a public hospital or hospital district. The bill would effectively reduce the amount of money a county must spend in order to qualify for state funding distributed by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported the provisions of the bill would not result in a fiscal impact on current DSHS Community Health Services programs.
A hospital or hospital district required to add the payment of principal or interest to debt that would not be counted toward the counties’ general revenue tax levy, could result in counties reaching their 8 percent threshold of spending sooner and require that a county request state funds earlier in the state fiscal year.
Harris County reported there would be no fiscal impact on the county because the county currently has a hospital district that offers indigent health care.
| Source Agencies: | 537 State Health Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KKR, TP
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