Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB812 by White (Relating to the amount of the health care services fee paid by certain inmates.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB812, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($1,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
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
2020
($500,000)
2021
($500,000)
2022
($500,000)
2023
($500,000)
2024
($500,000)
Fiscal Year
Probable Revenue (Loss) from General Revenue Fund 1
2020
($500,000)
2021
($500,000)
2022
($500,000)
2023
($500,000)
2024
($500,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code as it relates to the amount of the health care services fee paid by certain incarcerated individuals. The bill would reduce the offender health care services fee for initiating a visit with a health care provider from $100 annually to $10 per visit. The bill would also repeal Government Code, Section 501.063(a)(2), which establishes that the offender health care fee covers all offender initiated visits to a health care provider until the first anniversary of the imposition of the fee. The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), the 2020-21 Biennial Revenue Estimate projects $2.0 million per year in General Revenue collections for inmate fees for health care under current law. Based on information from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), it is estimated that collections under the provisions of the bill would be $1,500,000 per year. The bill would therefore result in an annual revenue reduction of $500,000.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 696 Department of Criminal Justice