Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1673 by Hall (Relating to limitations on public health directives issued during a state of disaster or outbreak of a communicable disease.), As Introduced
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time because the extent of increased workload related to disease spread cannot be estimated.
The bill would prohibit the Office of the Governor from issuing a public health directive during a disaster that is more stringent than any public health directive for undocumented immigrants issued by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The bill would prohibit the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or a health authority from issuing a public health directive during a disaster or an outbreak of communicable disease that is more stringent than any public health directive for undocumented immigrants issued by ICE.
According to DSHS, the bill would significantly limit DSHS's ability to issue public health directives during an outbreak or public health disaster. This could result in a negative fiscal impact due to costs associated with increased workload due to increased disease spread, but the extent of the impact cannot be estimated at this time as it would vary based on the size and duration of an outbreak of communicable disease and the limitations imposed by the bill during the outbreak.
Local Government Impact
The bill could result in a negative fiscal impact to local health departments due to costs associated with increased workload due to increased disease spread, but the extent of the impact cannot be estimated at this time as it would vary based on the size and duration of an outbreak of communicable disease and the limitations imposed by the bill during the outbreak.
Source Agencies:
300 Trusteed Programs - Gov, 307 Secretary of State, 537 State Health Services