Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1836 by Deuell (Relating to the funding of the Texas Home Visiting Program; authorizing voluntary contributions.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Family Code, the Government Code, the Health and Safety Code, and the Local Government Code relating to the funding of the Texas Home Visiting Program and authorizing voluntary contributions. The bill would require a printed box to be added on each birth, marriage, and divorce application to allow the applicant to make a voluntary contribution of $5.00 to the Texas Home Visiting Program administered by the Health and Human Services Commission. The bill would establish the Texas Home Visiting Program Trust Fund as a trust fund outside the treasury with the Comptroller. The fund would consist of the voluntary contributions authorized in the bill and made by applicants for marriage licenses or certain vital statistics records. Money in the new fund would not be state funds or subject to legislative appropriations, and could only be spent by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for the purposes of the Texas Home Visiting Program. The bill would take effect immediately if a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature is received. Otherwise, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2013.
This legislation would do one or more of the following: create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in this bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
The Department of State Health Services indicates that the provisions of the bill requiring amending certain forms or applications can be implemented within existing resources. HHSC indicates administration of the fund can be implemented within existing resources; however, since the fund is held outside the treasury, there is no fiscal impact to HHSC related to the voluntary contributions for the Texas Home Visiting Program.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of