Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1590 by Hancock (Relating to duties of the vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services in relation to certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship, including in regard to the electronic transmission of certain information.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1590, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($3,092,610) 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
($3,092,610)
2027
$0
2028
$0
2029
$0
2030
$0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2026
($3,092,610)
2027
$0
2028
$0
2029
$0
2030
$0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish an electronic process through which the Department of Family and Protective (DFPS), the court, an attorney, or a party may request information from the Court of Continuing Jurisdiction (CCJ) Registry.
The bill would require DSHS to establish an electronic process through which a qualified applicant may request information from the paternity registry. The bill would require DSHS to provide a certificate of the results of the paternity registry search no later than the 10th day after the receipt of a request.
The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to adopt rules as soon as practicable.
Methodology
According to DSHS, the agency would work with the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar (TxEVER) vendor to build a system module that would allow DFPS to search the CCJ and paternity registries directly in TxEVER as an online service. DFPS does not pay a fee for these inquiries, which they currently request by mail. DSHS estimates that TxEVER module development would cost $325,000 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026.
DSHS would communicate and coordinate with DFPS on the process of entering a request in TxEVER and printing a certificate of the search results. DFPS manages their own TxEVER user accounts. Communication and coordination can be done with existing resources.
A new service for Texas.gov would be required to allow other qualified applicants, outside DFPS, to request electronically information from the CCJ and paternity registries and for a certificate of search results to be provided in real time and allow for fee collection. There would not be an increase in applications or impact to revenue as a result of this bill. DSHS would use the existing Technology Solution Services mechanism for contracting development for the Texas.gov platform. DSHS has indicated additional HHSC Information Technology (IT) Staff Augmentation needs for implementation of Texas.gov modifications. This analysis includes a cost of $216,360 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026 for additional Project Manager III services.
DSHS would work with the Department of Information Resources and their Texas.gov vendor to add CCJ and paternity registry inquiries as an online service for other qualified applicants outside DFPS. DSHS estimates that Texas.gov development would cost $2,400,000 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026.
DSHS estimates IT Informational Staff costs of $61,250 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026 to implement the bill.
This analysis assumes a contingency amount for DSHS of $90,000 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026.
This analysis assumes that any costs associated with the bill for DFPS and HHSC can be absorbed within existing resources.
According to the Office of Court Administration, no significant fiscal impact to the state court system is anticipated.
Technology
Technology costs outlined above include TxEVER module development, Texas.gov modifications and development, HHSC IT Staff Augmentation, IT Informational Staff, and contingency funding.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 313 Department of Information Resources, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of, 537 State Health Services, Department of