LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
74th Regular Session
May 17, 1995
TO: Honorable Toby Goodman, Chair IN RE: Committee Substitute
Committee on Juvenile Justice and for
Family Issues Senate Bill
House of Representatives No. 7
Austin, Texas By: Harris
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No.
7 (Relating to the parent-child relationship, suits affecting the
parent-child relationship, and the protection of children.) this
office has determined the following:
The bill would make changes to the Family Code to implement
provisions of Comptroller recommendations in "Gaining Ground" and
"A Partnership for Independence". The bill would implement the
recommendation to expedite the adoption process for children in
the custody of the Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services who have been constructively abandoned while in the
permanent or temporary managing conservatorship of the Department
of Protective and Regulatory Services. By establishing a new
condition under which a negligent parent might surrender parental
rights involuntarily through court proceedings, the State could
reduce costs for children who are currently under foster care
with no hope of reuniting with their parents. The estimated
savings to the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
is based on historical costs for the Department for foster care
for children who meet the conditions set forth in the bill.
The bill includes the gain to the Child Support Retained
Collections Account under a driver's license revocation system.
An increase in collections for AFDC Child Support cases is
expected to occur due to payment of child support obligations
that are in arrears during the first three years of operation.
After the first three years, increased child support collections
are expected to be realized as a result of this provision,
although the amount should decrease as the arrearages are paid.
Administrative costs are based on administrative hearings
experience in other states with driver's license revocation
programs. It is anticipated that the Office of the Attorney
General may need additional staff to assist with increased
collections.
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 Savings Probable Gain to
Year to General Child Support
Revenue Fund 001 Retained
Collections
Account
1996 $541,000 $6,589,000
1997 541,000 9,250,000
1998 541,000 17,233,000
1999 541,000 10,644,000
2000 541,000 10,644,000
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: Legislative Budget Board
LBB Staff: JK, DC, BR, RR