LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                        February 16, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Don Henderson, Chair         IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 103
         Committee on Jurisprudence                     By:  Moncrief
         Senate
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No.
103 (Relating to creation of the Office of Public Guardian.) 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 establishes the Office of Public Guardian to plan,
promote and develop guardianship programs for individuals needing
assistance to make decisions relating to their own welfare and
financial affairs.

The new state agency would be governed by a fourteen member
Board, consisting of nine members appointed by the governor and
five ex officio members from existing human services agencies.  
The board members would be entitled to a daily per diem amount
plus payment for actual expenses.  The board is authorized to
appoint an executive Director who may hire up to seven employees.

The Office of Public Guardian would be directed to develop a
state plan to determine the need for  guardianship or a less
restrictive type of assistance.  The agency would assist cities
and counties in developing a guardianship program, provide
education, training and technical assistance on guardianships or
alternative assistance, provide information regarding referral
services, adopt  minimum standards for guardianships and contract
for guardians when a local program is unavailable.     




 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      Change in   
             Year      of  General      Number of State
                     Revenue Fund 001   Employees from 
                                            FY 1995    
                                                       
          1996                $280,155              5.0
          1997                 255,580              5.0
                                                       
          1998                 255,580              5.0
                                                       
          1999                 255,580              5.0
          2000                 255,580              5.0
                                                       
                                                       
                                                       

       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:
          LBB Staff: JK, DC, RR