Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1386 by Creighton (Relating to a body worn camera program for emergency medical personnel.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would establish requirements for body-worn camera programs for emergency medical services personnel. The Office of the Attorney General and the Department of State Health Services indicated that the provisions of the bill could be implemented within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
According to Rockwall County, the fiscal impact to the county is approximately $2,000, with $1,800 of that amount the cost of the body camera equipment, and the remaining $200, a recurring annual maintenance fee.
Williamson County reports that implementing the bill's provisions would require the acquisition of 131 body cameras for their EMS personnel, at a total cost of $210,958. Equipment costs include body camera docks for the county's ambulances and chargers for the cameras at the county's 19 EMS stations. The estimate does not include the cost of video storage and backup.
The Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool reports a minimal fiscal impact associated with the bill's provisions, due to the small number of participating counties that operate EMS services.
Source Agencies:
302 Office of the Attorney General, 537 State Health Services