LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 9, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Harvey Hilderbran, Chair     IN RE:  House Bill No. 2658
         Committee on Human Services                    By: Hilderbran
         House of Representatives
         Austin, Texas






FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
2658 (Relating to the name, function, and duties of the Texas
Committee on Purchases of Products and Services of Blind and
Severely Disabled Persons.) this office has determined the
following:

The bill would change the name of the Texas Committee on
Purchases of Products and Services of Blind and Severely Disabled
Persons to the Texas Council on Purchasing from People with
Disabilities which would be composed of 9 members appointed by
the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.  The bill
would allow members to be reimbursed for actual and necessary
expenses.

The bill would require the council to contract with a central
non-profit agency for services as specified in the bill, and to
manage and operate the daily marketing operations of the program. 
The management rate charged by the non-profit agency must be
approved by the council, and a percentage of the fee would be
paid to the council in an amount necessary to reimburse the
general revenue fund for costs incurred by the council and the
General Services Commission.

The bill would require the General Services Commission to provide
legal, clerical, administrative and other support services, and
provide legal support to the council in adopting rules.  The bill
would also require the Texas Commission for the Blind to transfer
its records on the committee to the General Services Commission
not later than January 31, 1996.    




The bill would require that appropriations made to the Texas 
Committee on Purchases of Products and Services of Blind and
Severely Disabled Persons be available to the council established
by provisions of the bill.

Although the total costs of the bill cannot be determined, the
General Services Commission estimates annual costs of $64,000 in
1996 and $50,000 each year thereafter from the general revenue
fund, including an additional three FTEs.  The Texas Commission
for the Blind estimates minimal savings from federal funds.  The
bill does provide that a percentage of the management rate be
paid to the council for costs to the general revenue fund.


No fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.

The fiscal implication to  the State cannot be determined.


Source:   General Services Commission, Ethics Commission
          LBB Staff: JK, MS, DF