Honorable James B. Frank, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3815 by Hunter (Relating to transitional living services provided to foster youth transitioning to independent living.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3815, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted : a negative impact of ($672,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
($672,000)
2023
$0
2024
$0
2025
$0
2026
$0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2022
($672,000)
2023
$0
2024
$0
2025
$0
2026
$0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend Chapter 264 of the Family Code to expand eligibility for the Transitional Living Services Program and Medicaid for former foster child until age 23 and age 26 respectively and to allow foster care youth and former foster care youth between the ages of 14 and 26 to participate in the Education and Training Voucher Program as long as they are making satisfactory progress toward completion of the program.
Methodology
According to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), updates would need to be made to the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) in order to implement the provisions of the bill. The analysis assumes updates to TIERS would occur in fiscal year 2022 at an estimated cost of $0.7 million in General Revenue. It is assumed that the change in eligibility would become effective on September 1, 2022 and would result in an increase in the caseload for the Former Foster Care in Higher Education program in fiscal year 2023 and subsequent fiscal years. However, the caseload increase is expected to be minimal and it is assumed the costs could be absorbed within existing resources.
This analysis assumes there would be a minimal cost to the Department of Family and Protective Services associated with implementing the provisions of the bill that could be
absorbed within current resources.
Technology
Updates to TIERS are estimated to cost $0.7 million in fiscal year 2022.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
529 Hlth & Human Svcs Comm, 530 Family & Protective Services