LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 2, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Harvey Hilderbran, Chair     IN RE:  House Bill No. 1193
         Committee on Human Services                    By: Berlanga
         House of Representatives
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
1193 (Relating to the regulation of orthotists and prosthetists;
providing a civil penalty.) this office has determined the
following:

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 regulate the licensure of orthotists and
prosthetists by creating the Texas Board of Orthotics and
Prosthetics within the Texas Rehabilitation Commission.  The
Governor would appoint the six-member Board.

The bill would require the director of the Texas Rehabilitation
Commission to appoint an Executive Director to administer the
Act.  The bill also would require the Board to set fees to meet
the expenses of regulating orthotists and prosthetists.  The bill
permits the Board to collect fees for licenses, license renewals,
examinations, and other administrative expenses.

The bill authorizes but does not require the agency to charge
fees to cover costs.  For the purposes of this estimate it is
assumed fees would be charged, however, if no fees were set by
the Board there would be no gain to the General Revenue Fund.

The bill would have no fiscal implication on  units of local
government.    




The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of 
the bill during each of the first  five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
     



            Fiscal  Probable Cost Out   Probable Revenue      Change in    
             Year      of  General      Gain to General    Number of State 
                     Revenue Fund 001   Revenue Fund 001    Employees from 
                                                               FY 1995     
                                                                           
          1996                $102,834           $102,834               2.0
          1997                  97,834             97,834               2.0
                                                                           
          1998                  97,834             97,834               2.0
                                                                           
          1999                  97,834             97,834               2.0
          2000                  97,834             97,834               2.0
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           



Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.

No fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.




Source:   Rehabilitation Commission
          LBB Staff: JK, MU, JF, DF