Honorable Myra Crownover, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB538 by Schwertner (Relating to the control of infectious diseases.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code and the Health and Safety Code relating to the control of infectious disease. The bill would authorize the governor to declare a state of infectious disease emergency that would expire in 30 days unless terminated sooner by the governor; the bill would authorize the governor to declare successive states of emergency if necessary. The bill would authorize the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to make all decisions to contain the emergency. The bill would require that DSHS communicate with and consider input from local health authorities on all decisions. The bill would expand control orders for the detention of persons in a state of infectious disease emergency. The bill would require the establishment of stockpiles of protective equipment to support responses to infectious disease emergencies, and for the development of procedures for the evaluation and transport of treatment options for medical waste. The bill would establish the Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response as an advisory panel to the governor and require that it include a representative from one urban and one rural local health authority. It is anticipated that the provisions of the bill could be absorbed by the affected agencies within current resources.
Local Government Impact
According to Travis County, fiscal impact is anticipated to be insignificant to moderate, depending on the scale of an event. Fiscal impact would be based on the duration, number of affected individuals and monitored locations.
According to Dallas County, the costs associated with the 2014 Ebola cases totaled $271,866.53 for operating expenses, including decontamination services, and $120,509 for payroll expenses.
Source Agencies:
301 Office of the Governor, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 554 Animal Health Commission, 557 Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 601 Department of Transportation, 513 Funeral Service Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of