Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1330 by Naishtat (Relating to the payment of costs incurred by the involuntary commitment of persons with mental illness.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1330, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($6,240,248) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
($3,120,124)
2017
($3,120,124)
2018
($3,120,124)
2019
($3,120,124)
2020
($3,120,124)
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016
($3,120,124)
2017
($3,120,124)
2018
($3,120,124)
2019
($3,120,124)
2020
($3,120,124)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code relating to the payment of costs incurred by the involuntary commitment of persons with mental illness. The bill would require that the state or the county be responsible for the costs of hearings or proceedings for certain patients committed to an inpatient mental health facility if the facility is under specific contractual relationships with the state, local mental health authority, or county.
Methodology
This estimate assumes that the state would pay for hearings where the state directly contracts with the facility, and the county would pay for hearings in facilities under contract with the county.
Based on fiscal year 2014 amounts, DSHS projects 5,464 civil commitments for state beds per fiscal year, at a cost of $491 per commitment. DSHS also assumes indirect costs of $437,300 each fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
The bill would require a county initiating an emergency detention to pay the cost of certain hearings or proceedings.
Bexar County reported that in fiscal year (FY) 2012-13 there were an estimated 1,648 emergency detentions billed at $491 per case initiated within the county. Bexar County anticipates revenue loss of $510,780 in FY 2015-16, $526,104 in FY 2016-17, $541,887 in FY 2017-18, $558,143 in FY 2018-19, and $574,888 in FY 2019-20.
Travis County reported that no fiscal impact is anticipated.
According to the Texas Association of Counties (TAC), Denton County reported that no significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
According to TAC, Harris County anticipates a significant fiscal impact to the county and public hospitals.