LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 23, 2025

TO:	Honorable Gary VanDeaver, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB37 by Plesa (Relating to perinatal palliative care provided by certain hospitals, a perinatal palliative care grant program, and a perinatal palliative care hospital recognition program.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB37, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($485,998) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

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
2026	($217,074)
2027	($268,924)
2028	($269,364)
2029	($269,730)
2030	($270,104)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2025
2026	($217,074)	2.0
2027	($268,924)	2.0
2028	($269,364)	2.0
2029	($269,730)	2.0
2030	($270,104)	2.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require a hospital assigned a maternal level of care designation to make available perinatal palliative care counseling and a cooling device following a perinatal death or stillbirth.

The bill would establish a perinatal palliative care grant program that would award grants to hospitals assigned a maternal level of care designation for a hospital's provision of perinatal palliative care.

The bill would authorize the establishment of eligibility criteria and a scoring system for awarding grants under the grant program to hospitals assigned a maternal level of care designation.

The bill would allow for the acceptance of gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the purpose of the grant program.

The bill would authorize a hospital recognition program to recognize hospitals assigned a maternal level of care designation that provide perinatal palliative care training to hospital personnel.

Methodology

The analysis assumes that the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) would be designated by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to administer the grant and recognition programs. This analysis only assumes the costs associated with the administration of the grant program and and does not include any costs related to the grants themselves. 

DSHS would require a program specialist IV position (1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE)) to administer the grant and recognition programs, while a contract specialist IV position (1.0 FTE) would be needed to manage contract activities. Salaries, benefits, and related FTE costs would total $217,074 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026 and $268,924 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2027. The lower amount in fiscal year 2026 is attributable to an assumed start date for these positions later in the first fiscal year.

This analysis assumes HHSC can implement the provisions of the bill utilizing existing resources. 

Technology

Information technology costs related to the new FTEs would be minimal.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of

LBB Staff:

JMc, NPe, ER, APA