Honorable Kel Seliger, Chair, Senate Committee on Higher Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1438 by Zaffirini (Relating to funding sources for the repayment of certain speech-language pathologist and audiologist education loans.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1438, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,613,356) 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
($806,678)
2017
($806,678)
2018
($806,678)
2019
($806,678)
2020
($806,678)
Fiscal Year
Probable Revenue (Loss) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016
($806,678)
2017
($806,678)
2018
($806,678)
2019
($806,678)
2020
($806,678)
Fiscal Analysis
Under provisions of the bill, fees collected under Chapter 401, Occupations Code, in excess of the money required to pay expenses of the State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, can be used to fund the repayment of education loans for certain speech-language pathologists and audiologists. This loan repayment program is administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Under Education Code, Section 61.9814, the total amount of repayment assistance received by a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist may not exceed $6,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a master's degree but not a doctoral degree; or $9,000 for an eligible recipient who holds a doctoral degree. Under current law, fees collected under Chapter 401, Occupations Code, are deposited into General Revenue Fund 1.
Methodology
Based on information provided by the Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding the average fees collected and the expenses of the State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in fiscal year 2013 and fiscal year 2014, the average estimated excess revenue available for the loan repayment program is $806,678 per year. This revenue, which under the bill the bill will be used for the loan repayment program, is represented by a revenue loss to General Revenue Fund 1 in the table above. The Higher Education Coordinating Board estimates that this funding would support six faculty, who would receive loan repayment assistance of $9,000 per year, 125 qualified employees of school districts, who would receive loan repayment assistance of $6,000 per year and one partial award of $2,678.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
537 State Health Services, Department of, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration