Honorable Dan Huberty, Chair, House Committee on Public Education
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3290 by Toth (Relating to establishing public school campus special threat response plans.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3290, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,828,394) 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
($817,970)
2021
($1,010,424)
2022
($1,010,424)
2023
($1,010,424)
2024
($1,010,424)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2019
2020
($817,970)
8.0
2021
($1,010,424)
8.0
2022
($1,010,424)
8.0
2023
($1,010,424)
8.0
2024
($1,010,424)
8.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Education Code to require school districts or public junior colleges districts to adopt and implement a multi-hazard emergency operations plan using a uniform nomenclature found in the standard response protocol. The bill would require that the plan provide measures to ensure coordination with local emergency management agencies, and emergency service agencies in the event of an emergency. The bill would identify law enforcement, school security departments, health departments, an emergency medical services provider, and a fire department as emergency services agencies.
The bill would require school districts to annually conduct a special threat drill with emergency services agencies and review the response policy and revise, if necessary. The policy would be submitted to the commissioner of education and director of public safety before August 1 of each year for annual certification of the school district's plan.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in each house. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
Currently, DSHS assumes health department authority in regions where no local health department exists and under the provisions of the bill, would be considered an emergency management agency within these regions and would be required to work with school districts on certain campus special threat response activities.
Currently, DSHS, as the health department authority in certain regions, coordinates with school districts for multi-hazard emergency operation plans.
However, with DSHS designated as an emergency management agency, their responsibilities would increase. The agency would be required to provide public health preparedness and response activities in the event of an emergency in school districts or public junior college school districts; coordinate response efforts with other local emergency management agencies; support emergency management education, training and drills associated with campus special threat response policies; and provide public health preparedness and response technical support to schools that are in the regions where DSHS is the health department authority.
The agency indicated they would need an additional 1.0 Program Specialist V full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) for each of the eight public health regions where DSHS is the health department authority and is considered an emergency management agency, to implement the provisions of the bill.
The cost for 8.0 FTEs would be $515,022 in fiscal year 2020 and $686,697 in each subsequent fiscal year. An additional $148,952 in other operating expenses, including rent, travel, and supplies that would be needed in fiscal year 2020 and $140,264 in each subsequent fiscal year for this purpose.
The estimated total to implement the provisions of the bill would be $817,970 in fiscal year 2020 and $1,010,424 in each subsequent fiscal year.
Technology
Technology costs are estimated to be $32,984 in the first fiscal year and $32,944 in each subsequent fiscal year for software, hardware, and Data Center Services.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 407 Commission on Law Enforcement, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 701 Texas Education Agency, 980 Southwest Texas Junior College, 996 Lone Star College System