LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 14, 2013

TO:
Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB746 by Ashby (Relating to the registration of volunteer health practitioners and the services of volunteer health practitioners during disasters.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would add a new chapter to the Occupations Code authorizing certain volunteers who are registered with the volunteer health practitioner registration system specified by the bill to provide certain services across state lines in catastrophic circumstances.  The bill would authorize the Texas Division of Emergency Management to regulate certain in-state and out-of-state volunteer health practitioners while an emergency declaration is in effect. The bill would require the Department of State Health Services to administer the volunteer health practitioner registration system specified by the bill. The bill would stipulate the volunteer health practitioner registration system must include information regarding the results of a criminal history background check on the health care practitioners listed in the system, as well as confirmation whether the volunteer health practitioners in the system are duly registered, licensed and in good standing.

The fiscal impact of the bill to the state is not anticipated to be significant, although the incidence of affected events is unpredictable. The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.


Local Government Impact

The fiscal impact of the bill to local governments cannot be determined due to the inability to predict the number and scope of additional disaster declarations, number and severity of injuries, and increased costs of administration for out-of-state covered individuals.


Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 301 Office of the Governor
LBB Staff:
UP, ESi, AI, JAW, CK