Honorable Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor, Senate
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1624 by Zaffirini (Relating to guardianships, alternatives to guardianship, and supports and services for incapacitated persons.), As Passed 2nd House
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1624, As Passed 2nd House : a negative impact of ($1,500,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.
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
2024
($1,000,000)
2025
($500,000)
2026
($500,000)
2027
($500,000)
2028
($500,000)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2024
($1,000,000)
2025
($500,000)
2026
($500,000)
2027
($500,000)
2028
($500,000)
Fiscal Analysis
Among other provisions, the bill would require the Office of Court Administration (OCA) to develop and implement a process for physicians to electronically file applications with judges and magistrates for the emergency detention of persons with certain mental illnesses and for judges and magistrates to electronically transmit warrants for the detention of those persons.
Methodology
Based on information provided by OCA, this analysis assumes that the agency would need to contract with a vendor to provide a system that will allow for the electronic transmission of emergency detention warrants and that a portion of the state's emergency detention warrants would be handled via the system but not all. According to the agency, communication with possible vendors on preliminary cost estimates indicates that such a system would cost $1 million in fiscal year 2024 with ongoing costs of $500,000 a year to pay vendor fees. Depending on the vendor, fees may be based on the number of emergency detention warrants transferred or general platform and user fees.
Technology
A system that will allow for the electronic transmission of emergency detention warrants will cost $1 million in fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 per year in ongoing costs.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council