LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 27, 2015

TO:
Honorable Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor, Senate
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB277 by Schwertner (Relating to certain health-related and other task forces and advisory committees. ), As Passed 2nd House



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB277, As Passed 2nd House: an impact of $0 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 $0
2017 $0
2018 ($1,743,000)
2019 ($1,743,000)
2020 $0




Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
2016 $0
2017 $0
2018 ($1,743,000)
2019 ($1,743,000)
2020 $0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would partially implement the Sunset Advisory Commission recommendations concerning the health and human services agencies. The bill would abolish certain health-related task forces, advisory committees and workgroups, and require the Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules regarding the purpose, structure and use of advisory committees.  The bill would establish issue areas that advisory committees may be created to support. A reduction in the number of advisory committees could result in savings, to the degree such committees are not reestablished in rule. The bill would also combine the Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee and the Drug Utilization Review Board which could result in savings, by consolidating the vendor contracts that support the separate committees.

The bill would also extend, until September 1, 2019, the jail-based restoration of competency pilot program. 

The bill would become effective on September 1, 2015, except for certain provisions which would become effective on January 1, 2016.

Methodology

The annual cost of the jail-based restoration of competency pilot program to the Department of State Health Services is $1,743,000 in General Revenue Funds. It is assumed this cost would continue in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 due to the provision to extend the expiration of the pilot program.
 
This analysis assumes that provisions related to advisory committees and task forces could be implemented within existing agency resources at the Health and Human Services Commission.

Local Government Impact

The bill would extend the jail-based restoration of competency pilot program until September 1, 2019.  Harris County reported that no significant fiscal impact is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
UP, NB, WP, KVe, CH, SS, VJC