LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          March 31, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair      IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 519
         Committee on Health & Human Services           By: Madla
         Senate
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No.
519 (Relating to peer assistance and reporting programs for
students enrolled in certain professional educational programs.)
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 authorize approved peer assistance programs to
provide services to impaired students.  Services provided to
students would not be required to be commensurate with services
offered to impaired professionals.

The Board of Nurse Examiners estimates the cost of providing
services to impaired students of nursing educational programs
would be $26,250 per year out of General Revenue - Consolidated,
Fund No. 001.  The Board assumes 25-50 nursing students would be
referred to the peer assistance program. 

The cost of providing services to impaired students of other
approved peer assistance programs cannot be determined.

The bill would also require professional nursing educational
programs or registered nurses to report students suspected of
being impaired by chemical dependency to the Board.  The bill
provides that the student may be reported to the nursing
educational program in lieu of the Board.  Administrative costs
associated with implementing this provision could rise, but any    




increase would not be significant.
 
The bill would have no fiscal implication to 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 
             Year      of  General    
                     Revenue Fund 001 
                                      
          1996                 $26,250
          1997                  26,250
                                      
          1998                  26,250
                                      
          1999                  26,250
          2000                  26,250
                                      
                                      
                                      
       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:   Legislative Budget Board
          LBB Staff: JK, JF, DF