LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 21, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Fred Bosse, Chair, House Committee on Civil
               Practices
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB3479  by Greenberg (Relating to liability for sexual
               exploitation by mental health services providers who are
               officers or employees of governmental units.), As
               Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
**************************************************************************
  
The bill waives sovereign immunity and allows an individual to sue a
governmental unit for damages due to sexual exploitation by a mental
health services provider which would include physicians, psychologists,
licensed social workers and chemical dependency counselors.  The bill
does not limit damages, therefore actual damages, exemplary damages, and
an attorney's fees may be incurred by the state.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.  However, depending on the number of cases filed, local
governments would be exposed to the same type of liability as the state.
  
  
Source Agencies:   302   Office Of The Attorney General
LBB Staff:         JK, PE