LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
74th Regular Session
April 12, 1995
TO: Honorable Toby Goodman, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 2567
Committee on Juvenile Justice and By: Brady
Family Issues
House of Representatives
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
2567 (relating to the investigation of certain allegations of
child abuse; providing a 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 require the Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services to provide, at the request of a child's
family, that an interview of the child be conducted during an
investigation by a qualified psychologist who is not the same sex
as the child's alleged abuser. The department estimates that
this provision would add nearly 17,000 interviews per year to its
workload.
The bill would require the department to conduct joint
investigations of child abuse or neglect cases with local law
enforcement agencies. This provision would have an impact on
staffing requirements for local law enforcement agencies which
cannot be determined at this time.
The bill would require the department to establish review teams
composed of community representatives and private citizens to
evaluate the department's casework and decision-making in child
abuse investigations. The review teams would examine the facts
as presented by departmental caseworkers and local law
enforcement personnel. This provision would increase the
department's workload. It would also have an impact on staffing
requirements for local law enforcement agencies which cannot be
determined at this time.
The bill would require the department to require the suspected
offender in a confirmed case of child abuse to leave the
residence of the child rather than attempting to remove the child
from the residence. This provision could result in a cost
savings due to fewer foster care placements, but the savings
cannot be determined at this time.
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 Cost Change in
Year of General Out of Federal Number of State
Revenue Funds 555 Employees from
Fund 001 FY 1995
1996 $934,273 $1,440,524 6.0
1997 917,627 1,423,199 6.0
1998 917,627 1,423,199 6.0
1999 917,627 1,423,199 6.0
2000 917,627 1,423,199 6.0
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.
The fiscal implication to units of local government cannot be
determined.
Source: Department of Protective & Regulatory Services,
Commission on Law Enforcement
Officer Standards and Education,
Department of Human Services
LBB Staff: JK, NM, RR