Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3801 by Orr (Relating to the establishment of the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council and a workgroup on nursing career pathways and the abolition of the statewide health coordinating council and the nursing advisory committee of that council.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3801, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($2,872,324) 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
($1,270,547)
2027
($1,601,777)
2028
($1,603,757)
2029
($1,605,404)
2030
($1,607,087)
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
($1,270,547)
9.0
2027
($1,601,777)
9.0
2028
($1,603,757)
9.0
2029
($1,605,404)
9.0
2030
($1,607,087)
9.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would establish the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council as administratively attached to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
The bill would establish the makeup of the members of the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council.
The bill would require the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council to compile and analyze workforce data on a variety of health professions, develop a biennial strategic plan, and establish a workgroup to evaluate gateway professions to the healthcare workforce.
The bill would require the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council to publish the strategic plan on its website.
The bill would establish a nursing advisory committee to assist the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council with its duties.
The bill would require the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies at DSHS to establish and oversee a workgroup to study the feasibility of aligning certification and career pathways for nurse aides, medication aides, and personal care technicians into the nursing profession and the impact of doing so. The workgroup would submit a report summarizing the results of the assessment by December 1, 2026. This section expires January 1, 2027.
The bill would abolish the Statewide Health Coordinating Council, the Nursing Advisory Committee of that council, and the authority to impose civil penalties on non-respondents.
Methodology
The analysis assumes DSHS would require 9.0 additional full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) to implement requirements under the bill. This includes Research Specialist V positions (4.0 FTEs) to gather and interpret data to identify trends, workforce shortages, and educational outcomes to inform policy recommendations; Data Analyst V positions (4.0 FTEs) to manage and analyze large datasets related to the health professions workforce including data extraction, transformation, and visualization to support decision-making processes; and a Director II position (1.0 FTE) to provide strategic direction and coordination of activities in support of the council's goals and reporting requirements as well as to oversee the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.
Salaries, benefits, and other related costs for the new FTEs total $1,270,547 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,601,777 in fiscal year 2027, all from the General Revenue Fund. The lower cost in fiscal year 2026 is attributable to a later start date for the new positions assumed in the first fiscal year.
According to the Office of the Attorney General, any legal work resulting from passage of the bill could be absorbed with existing resources.
According to the Office of Court Administration and the Health and Human Services Commission, any costs resulting from passage of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the bill would have no significant impact to revenue collections to the state.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board