Honorable Lacey Hull, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1524 by Middleton (Relating to the collection and confidentiality of information regarding firearms in agency foster homes; creating a civil penalty.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would prohibit the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and child-placing agencies from requiring foster homes to disclose the specific types of firearms present in the home. Additionally, the bill would restrict the use of any obtained information solely to determine the presence of firearms. Lastly, the bill would add a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation by a child-placing agency and allow the attorney general to bring an action to cover the civil penalty.
Based on information from the Comptroller of Public Accounts, revenue from the civil penalty cannot be determined.
It is assumed any costs to DFPS, HHSC, the Office of Attorney General, and the Comptroller of Public Accounts could be absorbed within existing appropriations.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of