Honorable James B. Frank, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2572 by Lujan (Relating to the central registry of names of individuals found to have abused or neglected a child.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2572, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($2,000,103) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.
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
2024
($1,202,653)
2025
($797,450)
2026
($729,179)
2027
($729,629)
2028
($730,084)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Probable (Cost) from GR Match For Medicaid 758
Probable (Cost) from Federal Funds 555
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2023
2024
($1,195,442)
($7,211)
($38,466)
5.0
2025
($796,422)
($1,028)
($5,448)
5.0
2026
($729,179)
$0
$0
5.0
2027
($729,629)
$0
$0
5.0
2028
($730,084)
$0
$0
5.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to maintain a central registry of names of individuals found by the department, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), or the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) to have abused or neglected a child.
The bill would also require HHSC and TJJD to notify DFPS of their findings following an investigation of alleged abuse or neglect. DFPS would be required to add the information to the central registry.
Methodology
According to TJJD, the duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could not be absorbed within existing resources as the agency does not currently provide the same level of due process as DFPS when making a finding of abuse.
Based on information from TJJD, the agency would require 3.0 Attorney Fulltime Equivalents (FTEs) to review cases of abuse and bring cases before the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). The analysis assumes there would be approximately 400.0 billable hours related to SOAH hearings at $150 per hour for a total cost of $60,000 per fiscal year. According to TJJD, an additional 1.0 Programmer FTE and 1.0 System Administrator would be needed for system integration and account management.
Based on information from DFPS, the agency would require 2.0 contracted IT FTEs in fiscal year 2024 for 5,774.0 hours of work and 1.0 contracted IT FTE in fiscal year 2025 for 577.0 hours of work. This includes creating two new interfaces to receive perpetrator information and creating new data tables to store the information received from HHSC and TJJD.
It is assumed any related costs to HHSC could be absorbed within existing resources.
Technology
Included in estimated costs is $481,778 in General Revenue Funds in fiscal year 2024 and $68,716 in General Revenue in fiscal year 2025 for system and IT
modifications.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of, 644 Juvenile Justice Department