LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 21, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Hugo Berlanga, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 443, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
          Committee on Public Health                              By: Moncrief
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB443 ( Relating 
to a right to petition a court for an order to seal or destroy 
records related to certain admissions to a mental health facility; 
providing a criminal penalty.) this office has detemined the 
following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB443-Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
         
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 
 
         
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to allow a person 
to have his/her mental health care records expunged under certain 
conditions with the approval of the court.  The increase in 
workload for the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental 
Retardation (TDMHMR) is expected to be minor and can be accomplished 
with existing staff and resources. 
         
 
          
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government 
is anticipated.  In order for a person's records to be expunged, 
a court would have to hold a hearing and issue an order to expunge 
the records.  The number of these cases is expected to be rare 
with the majority of courts being unaffected.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   655   Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,BB