LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 20, 2025

TO:	Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB961 by Kolkhorst (Relating to fraud prevention and verifying eligibility for benefits under Medicaid.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to conduct certain verifications on a Medicaid recipient related to lottery winnings, out-of-state electronic benefit transfer card transactions, and voter registration status, to identify possible changes to the recipient's eligibility for Medicaid benefits.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2025.

According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, state Medicaid expenditures could be reduced to the extent that the provisions of the bill could reduce Medicaid caseloads; however, the amounts and timing of any such reductions are unknown, and the corresponding fiscal impact to the state cannot be determined.

It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.

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, 362 Texas Lottery Commission, 529 Health and Human Services Commission

LBB Staff:

JMc, NPe, ER, ESch, NV