LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 14, 2025 TO: Honorable Lacey Hull, Chair, House Committee on Human Services FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4611 by Slawson (Relating to mutual consent voluntary adoption registries.), As Introduced Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4611, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($8,652,048) 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 toGeneral Revenue Related Funds2026($7,158,045)2027($1,494,003)2028($339,143)2029($339,509)2030($339,883)All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1 Change in Number of State Employees from FY 20252026($7,158,045)2.02027($1,494,003)2.02028($339,143)2.02029($339,509)2.02030($339,883)2.0 Fiscal AnalysisThe bill would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish an online application portal for registration applicants to adoption registries.The bill would allow for a fee waiver if the applicant is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family Protective Services or foster care in another state. The process for applying for the fee waivers must be displayed on the DSHS website, each administrator website, each online application submission portal, and a written application for registration.The bill would require DSHS to contact the applicant by email if there are any name or address discrepancies preventing a family match from being confirmed.The bill would remove the requirement for counseling before the release of information for registrants whose information has matched in an adoption registry.
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 14, 2025
TO: Honorable Lacey Hull, Chair, House Committee on Human Services FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4611 by Slawson (Relating to mutual consent voluntary adoption registries.), As Introduced
TO: Honorable Lacey Hull, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB4611 by Slawson (Relating to mutual consent voluntary adoption registries.), As Introduced
Honorable Lacey Hull, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
Honorable Lacey Hull, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
HB4611 by Slawson (Relating to mutual consent voluntary adoption registries.), As Introduced
HB4611 by Slawson (Relating to mutual consent voluntary adoption registries.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4611, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($8,652,048) 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.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4611, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($8,652,048) 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.
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:
2026 ($7,158,045)
2027 ($1,494,003)
2028 ($339,143)
2029 ($339,509)
2030 ($339,883)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
2026 ($7,158,045) 2.0
2027 ($1,494,003) 2.0
2028 ($339,143) 2.0
2029 ($339,509) 2.0
2030 ($339,883) 2.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish an online application portal for registration applicants to adoption registries.The bill would allow for a fee waiver if the applicant is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family Protective Services or foster care in another state. The process for applying for the fee waivers must be displayed on the DSHS website, each administrator website, each online application submission portal, and a written application for registration.The bill would require DSHS to contact the applicant by email if there are any name or address discrepancies preventing a family match from being confirmed.The bill would remove the requirement for counseling before the release of information for registrants whose information has matched in an adoption registry.
The bill would allow for a fee waiver if the applicant is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the Department of Family Protective Services or foster care in another state. The process for applying for the fee waivers must be displayed on the DSHS website, each administrator website, each online application submission portal, and a written application for registration.
The bill would require DSHS to contact the applicant by email if there are any name or address discrepancies preventing a family match from being confirmed.
The bill would remove the requirement for counseling before the release of information for registrants whose information has matched in an adoption registry.
Methodology
According to DSHS, the agency would create a DSHS webpage platform separate from Texas.gov to accept online fee-waived applications. This analysis assumes DSHS would require one Applications Architect III, three Software Developer III, one Database Administrator III, and one Project Manager III positions through Health and Human Services (HHSC) information technology (IT) staff augmentation. Costs for HHSC IT staff augmentation are estimated to total $1,727,488 in fiscal year 2026 and $424,906 in fiscal year 2027, all from the General Revenue Fund. DSHS indicates that the webpage platform would also require Identity and Access Management system integration, hardware costs, and software licensing. DSHS estimates that costs for these would total $700,000 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026. This analysis assumes a contingency amount of $242,479 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026.The Texas.gov website currently assesses an online transaction fee for processing applications. According to DSHS, the agency would work with the Department of Information Resources and Texas.gov to create an online submission process for Central Adoption Registry applications that have fees paid to be sent from Texas.gov to the TxEVER system through an existing interface. DSHS would use existing IT contracts at an estimated cost of $2,640,019 from the General Revenue Fund in FY 2026 and $660,005 from the General Revenue Fund in FY 2027 for the creation of the Texas.gov service. This analysis assumes DSHS would also require HHSC IT staff augmentation of one Project Manager III to assist in creating the Texas.gov service. The agency estimates costs for HHSC IT staff augmentation for the Project Manager III position to be $286,172 in fiscal year 2026 and $70,389 in fiscal year 2027, all from the General Revenue Fund. DSHS indicates that the Texas.gov service would also require Identity and Access Management system integration, hardware costs, and software licensing. DSHS estimates that costs would total $700,000 from the General Revenue Fund in fiscal year 2026. DSHS estimates Independent Verification and Validation (IVV) costs of $350,000 and this analysis assumes a contingency amount of $242,479 in fiscal year 2026, all from the General Revenue Fund.DSHS indicates that the agency would require two new IT-related full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) starting in FY 2026. A 1.0 FTE Systems Analyst V would be needed for the development of the DSHS IT webpage platform, and a 1.0 FTE Systems Analyst V would be needed for the development of the Texas.gov service. Both FTEs would provide ongoing support for the Child Adoption Waiver project. This analysis assumes salaries, benefits, and other FTE costs would total $269,408 in fiscal year 2026 and $338,703 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.DSHS indicates that it would use some existing IT staff, update the Texas Voluntary Central Adoption Registry Registration application to include instructions for applying for the fee waiver, update its website to include instructions for applying for the fee waiver and remove the counseling requirement, and implement new procedures for the Central Adoption Registry. Costs related to these requirements can be absorbed within existing resources by DSHS.
DSHS indicates that it would use some existing IT staff, update the Texas Voluntary Central Adoption Registry Registration application to include instructions for applying for the fee waiver, update its website to include instructions for applying for the fee waiver and remove the counseling requirement, and implement new procedures for the Central Adoption Registry. Costs related to these requirements can be absorbed within existing resources by DSHS.
Technology
Technology costs are related to DSHS webpage platform and Texas.gov services outlined above.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: b > td > 537 State Health Services, Department of
537 State Health Services, Department of
LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, NPe, ER, APA, NV
JMc, NPe, ER, APA, NV