State Fiscal Highlights
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STATE FUND |
FY 2010 |
FY 2011 and FUTURE YEARS |
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General Revenue Fund |
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Revenues |
- 0 - |
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Expenditures |
Increase of up to $335,000 for the Department of Health; Increase for the Department of Development |
Increase in costs for
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Note: The state fiscal year is July 1 through June 30. For example, FY 2010 is July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010. |
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· Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The bill establishes the Bed Bug Awareness, Education, and Prevention Program within the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Additionally, the bill makes an appropriation of $335,000 to ODH for fiscal year (FY) 2009 from the GRF. Since FY 2009 has passed, LSC assumes that the amount appropriated would be for the first year of the program's operations. ODH would experience an increase in costs for start-up of the program, as well as for educational materials, a toll-free number, and new staff members. ODH estimates that two full-time staff will be needed to answer and address phone and mail requests, create and present educational materials, and act as a liaison to local boards of health. ODH also estimates that seasonal staff may be necessary. The appropriation provided for in the bill would be used to pay for these costs.
· Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). ODH is required to administer the program with the assistance of and in consultation with the Research Office of the Division of Travel and Tourism within the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). Therefore, ODOD could experience an increase in costs related to the establishment and administration of the program. ODOD has specified that it does not currently have the research staff necessary to lend expertise to bed bug infestation issues. Additionally, ODOD does not maintain a list of lodgings in the state.
Local Fiscal Highlights
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT |
FY 2010 and FUTURE YEARS |
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Local Boards of Health |
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Revenues |
- 0 - |
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Expenditures |
Potential increase |
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Note: For most local governments, the fiscal year is the calendar year. The school district fiscal year is July 1 through June 30. |
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· The bill would require each local board of health to adopt policies for the prevention, detection, and eradication of vermin in public places, including residential facilities other than private dwellings. As a result, local boards of health will experience an increase in costs. The costs will be for rule-making procedures establishing the policies, including things such as public notice and mailings, as well as for administration and enforcement.
Detailed Fiscal Analysis
The bill establishes the Bed Bug Awareness, Education, and Prevention Program within the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). ODH is required to administer the program with the assistance of and in consultation with the Research Office of the Division of Travel and Tourism within the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). The bill outlines ODH's requirements in regard to the program and specifies that ODH is to adopt rules to implement the provisions. The requirements are as follows:
· Make available information regarding increasing incidences of bed bug infestation and notices about bed bugs being a public nuisance;
· Educate hotel owners, residential dwellers, and citizens on the differences between bed bugs and similar types of vermin;
· Encourage hotel owners and residential dwellers to closely monitor floors, bed linens, etc. for signs of infestation;
· Assist in and promote the development of safe and effective treatment methods or options for eradication; and
· Operate a toll-free number for the reporting of bed bug infestations or to request information. (The bill specifies that the toll-free number may be devoted solely to calls about bed bug infestations or may be an existing toll-free number ODH maintains for calls involving other issues.)
Additionally, the bill makes a GRF appropriation of $335,000 to ODH for the program. Please note that the appropriation is for fiscal year (FY) 2009. Since FY 2009 has passed, LSC assumes that the amount appropriated would be for the first year of the program's operations.
The bill requires each local board of health to adopt policies for the prevention, detection, and eradication of vermin in public places, including residential facilities other than private dwellings. Under each policy, bed bug infestations are to be treated as other vermin infestations.
State fiscal impact
ODH will experience an increase in costs relating to the establishment and administration of the program. The costs will be for educational materials, the toll-free number, and for new staff members. ODH estimates that two full-time staff will be needed to answer and address phone and mail requests, create and present educational materials, and act as a liaison to local boards of health. ODH also estimates that seasonal staff may be necessary. The appropriation provided in the bill will cover these costs.
ODOD could experience an increase in costs as a result of the bill. ODOD has specified that it does not currently have research staff necessary to lend expertise to bed bug infestation issues. Additionally, ODOD does not maintain a list of lodging in the state.
Local fiscal impact
According to the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners (AOHC), most local boards of health currently have a nuisance abatement program that allows them to respond to some vermin infestations. However, these programs are usually not proactive in that they do not normally address prevention and detection activities. Instead, the programs respond to individual complaints. Additionally, very few local boards of health have programs that deal with vermin infestations in hotels. According to AOHC, the bill will result in an increase in costs for local boards. The costs will be for rule-making procedures establishing the policies, including things such as public notice and mailings, as well as for administration and enforcement.
