LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              March 24, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair, House Committee on Public
               Health
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1051  by Brimer (Relating to the regulation of the
               practice of therapeutic optometry.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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It is estimated that the Texas Optometry Board would incur some
additional costs for establishing new certification programs, and for
educating providers and consumers of the new requirements.  The costs are
not estimated to be significant.  It is assumed that the Optometry Board
would increase fees in an amount sufficient to cover costs.

The University of Houston and the University of Texas Health Science
Center at Houston would have costs to conduct the study.  These costs
would be paid from patient fees and other income available to the
institutions.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TP, LD, CF