Honorable Four Price, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1697 by Price (Relating to the establishment of a pediatric health tele-connectivity resource program for rural Texas.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Due to the number of unknown variables such as the number of potential grant recipients and the value of the grants, there could be an indeterminate fiscal impact to the state.
The bill would amend the Government Code to establish a pediatric tele-connectivity resource program for rural Texas grant program. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) would establish and administer the grant program and the grants would support pediatric telemedicine services in nonurban health care facilities. HHSC would be able to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations to establish and administer the grant program, but would be prohibited from expending state funds to establish and administer the grant program and HHSC would not be required to award grants unless there is a specific appropriation for the grants.
HHSC indicated the duties and responsibilities associated with establishing a pediatric health electronic access in rural Texas grant program could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.
However, according to HHSC, the following variables related to the bill provisions are unknown:
1) The number of grants that would be awarded to nonurban health care facilities each fiscal year;
2) The average grant award to nonurban health care facilities each fiscal year;
3) The amount of Federal Funds that would be available to support grants to nonurban health care facilities each fiscal year; and
4) The precise items, activities, or services that would be funded with grants to nonurban health care facilities each fiscal year.
There could be an indeterminate fiscal impact to the state depending upon the number of grants and the amount of funding that would be made available. The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.