LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 16, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Harvey Hilderbran, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 290, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
          Committee on Human Services                              By: Zaffirini/et al.
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB290 ( Relating 
to electronic assistance provided by the Health and Human Services 
Commission.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB290-Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
         
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 
The bill would implement recommendations contained in the Texas 
Performance Review HHS 22 in the Comptroller of Public Account's 
Disturbing the Peace.
         

         
 
FISCAL ANALYSIS

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 amend 
Chapter 531 of the Government Code to require health and human 
services agencies, in conjunction with the Department of Information 
Resources, to enhance their existing internet sites to provide 
technical assistance for human services providers. The assistance 
must include information on federal and state welfare reform. 
 The provisions outline other subjects that may be included 
on the internet site.   

The bill would require the Health 
and Human Services Commission and health and human services 
agencies to file a report on the internet sites with the Governor, 
Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services no later 
than September 1, 1998.


METHODOLOGY

It is assumed that 
the Commission would coordinate with other agencies on the content 
of existing internet home pages.  Health and human services 
agencies should be able to comply with the provisions of the 
bill using existing resources. These agencies currently own 
and operate the hardware and software needed to maintain useable 
websites accessible to human service providers.

It is also 
assumed that the Department of Information Resources would work 
with the health and human services agencies to enhance the internet 
sites and to assist in establishing the necessary network connections.

          
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   529   Health and Human Services Commission
                                         304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         324   Department of Human Services
                                         330   Rehabilitation Commission
                                         340   Department on Aging
                                         501   Department of Health
                                         313   Department of Information Resources
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,BB