Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2725 by Calanni (Relating to birth records of adopted persons; authorizing a fee.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2725, As Introduced: an impact of $0 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
$0
2021
$0
2022
$0
2023
$0
2024
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Vital Statistics Account 19
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Vital Statistics Account 19
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2019
2020
($370,891)
$3,500
2.0
2021
($201,558)
$3,500
2.0
2022
($201,558)
$3,500
2.0
2023
($201,558)
$3,500
2.0
2024
($201,558)
$3,500
2.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to require the state registrar to provide a noncertified copy of an adopted person's original birth certificate to an adopted person or other person entitled to the copy under certain requirements after July 1, 2020. The bill would allow the state registrar to collect a fee equal to the fee charged for the issuance of a noncertified copy of a birth certificate.
The bill would require the state registrar to develop a contact preference form for a birth parent regarding contact by the adopted person who is the biological offspring of the birth parent and a supplemental medical history form for a birth parent to provide medical information to the adopted person before January 1, 2020. The bill would require the state registrar to provide these forms to an adopted person or other entitled person.
The bill would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to post the contact preference form and supplemental medical history form on the agency's website as well as provide copies of the forms in the state registrar's office.
The bill would amend the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services or other entity placing a child for adoption to inform the child's birth parents of the contact preference form and related information about obtaining a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
Under the provisions of the bill, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) would assume responsibility for all duties required of the state registrar.
DSHS would create a new form to persons to make a request for a noncertified copy of a person's original birth certificate. DSHS would develop a contact preference form and a supplemental medical history form for the birth parent. DSHS would also create a new form for adopted persons or other persons authorized to receive a noncertified copy of an adopted person's original birth certificate. DSHS would also make these forms available on the agency's website as well as provide copies in the DSHS office.
The estimated cost to provide copies of the new forms in the DSHS office would be $1,000 in each fiscal year for each of the four new forms.
According to the agency, an additional 2.0 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to process the new contact preference forms and the supplemental medical history forms and enter the data into the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registration system would be needed to implement the provisions of the bill.
The cost for 2.0 FTEs would be $86,040 in fiscal year 2020 and $114,720 in each subsequent fiscal year. An additional $42,690 in other operating expenses, including rent, travel, and supplies that would be needed in fiscal year 2020 and $32,598 in each subsequent fiscal year for this purpose.
Under the provisions of the bill, DSHS would collect a fee equal to the fee charged for the issuance of a noncertified copy of a birth certificate. Currently, DSHS collects $10 for issuance of a noncertified birth certificate and issues approximately 350 noncertified copies to adult adopted persons each fiscal year. DSHS estimates a probable revenue gain of $3,500 each fiscal year.
The estimated total to implement the provisions of the bill would be $370,891 in fiscal year 2020 and $201,558 in each subsequent fiscal year.
This analysis assumes the Department of Family and Protective Services can implement the provisions of the bill using existing resources.
Technology
Technology costs are estimated to be $208,426 in the first year to modify the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registration to add a contact preference and medical history module and for Data Center Services (DCS), hardware, and software. Technology costs are estimated to be $18,236 in each subsequent fiscal year for application maintenance, DCS, and hardware.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of, 537 State Health Services, Department of