Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB832 by Schaefer (Relating to reporting requirements for a physician performing an abortion at an abortion facility.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require a physician who performs an abortion at an abortion facility to complete and submit a report to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) by the 15th of each month on each abortion performed by that physician at the facility in the previous month. This provision would replace an annual report required of each abortion facility. The bill would require DSHS to establish and maintain an electronic reporting system for the submission of the reports and publish a monthly report containing aggregate data on the agency's website. The bill would require DSHS to notify the Texas Medical Board (TMB) within seven days of each report due date of any physicians who do not comply with reporting requirements and would require TMB to treat those notifications as a complaint.
While it is estimated that DSHS will have a cost of $384,000 in fiscal year 2016 to amend the existing system TxEVER to include the secure electronic reporting system, and ongoing maintenance costs of $115,200 in subsequent fiscal years, it is assumed that this cost could be absorbed within existing DSHS resources. Based on the analysis provided by TMB, it is assumed that the provisions of the bill that affect TMB can be implemented within existing state resources.
Local Government Impact
The bill would modify a Class A misdemeanor. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both. Costs associated with enforcement, prosecution, and confinement could likely be absorbed with existing resources. Revenue from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact.
Source Agencies:
503 Texas Medical Board, 537 State Health Services, Department of