LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 30, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2166  by Naishtat (Relating to the appointment of
               successor guardians for wards of guardianship program or
               governmental entities serving as guardians), Committee
               Report 1st House, Substituted
  
**************************************************************************
*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
**************************************************************************
  
The bill would add a new section to the Texas Probate Code providing that
if the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS) is
appointed guardian of the person or estate, or both, of a ward under the
Texas Probate Code, the department is considered an "interim" guardian
and serves as guardian in accordance with the Texas Probate Code and
Section 48.0215 of the Human Resources Code until the court appoints a
successor guardian.  Probate court judges already assign adult
guardianship cases to PRS.  In the event that the new section causes
probate court judges to assign more adult guardianship cases to PRS,
costs to the state could rise.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   530   Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
LBB Staff:         JK, PE, NM