Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1285 by Johnson (Relating to newborn or infant testing for congenital cytomegalovirus.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1285, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($2,681,361) 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
($2,053,896)
2025
($627,465)
2026
($308,625)
2027
($308,625)
2028
($308,625)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2023
2024
($2,053,896)
1.5
2025
($627,465)
3.0
2026
($308,625)
1.0
2027
($308,625)
1.0
2028
($308,625)
1.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require all birthing facilities to conduct a test for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) on each newborn or infant born at the facility before being discharged from the facility unless declined by the parent, a transfer to another facility before a test is performed, a test was previously conducted, or the newborn was discharged from birthing facility not more than 10 hours after birth and a referral for a newborn was made to another certified program at another birthing facility or operated by a physician or other healthcare provider.
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) would be required to maintain data and information on each newborn or infant who receives a CMV test.
Methodology
According to DSHS, a Program Specialist IV position (1.0 FTE) would be required for data collection and reporting, client support, and follow-up activities. A Systems Analyst V position (0.5 FTE in fiscal year 2024 and 1.0 FTE in fiscal year 2025) would be temporarily needed to manage new web-based system specifications, requirements, and changes, coordinate updates to the system, and test the initial applications and any changes or updates made to the system. A Programmer VI position (1.0 FTE) would be required only for fiscal year 2025 to program all updates and changes to the registry.
Salaries and benefits for the FTE positions would be $0.1 million in fiscal year 2024 and $0.4 million in fiscal year 2025. The lower amount in fiscal year 2024 positions assumes a later start date for the positions in the fiscal year. The only position that will remain after fiscal year 2025 is the 1.0 FTE Program Specialist IV position.
Additional FTE costs would be less than $0.1 million in each fiscal year.
Technology
Technology costs are estimated to be $1.9 million in fiscal year 2024 and $0.2 million in fiscal year 2025. An information management system would be needed to capture new CMV data including all newborns screened, including the result of the screen, indicate if CMV testing was declined, and provide reporting capabilities. DSHS estimates 9 to 12 months for the data system to be implemented. Fiscal year 2024 costs include $1.3 million for sprint costs, $0.2 million for Data Center Services servers and hosting, $0.2 million for staff augmentation, and $0.1 million for Department of Information Resources fees.
IT costs for the FTE positions would be less than $0.1 million in each fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time. The bill would increase the workload of hospitals, birthing facilities, and providers, including facilities operated by local governments.
Source Agencies:
529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of