LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
                                Revision 1
  
                                May 6, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Elliott Naishtat, Chair, House Committee on
               Human Services
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB3638  by Naishtat (Relating to judicial review of
               certain decisions about public assistance benefits),
               Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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It is assumed that new responsibilities assigned by the bill to state
agencies could be performed using existing resources.  It is also
assumed that transcripts will be prepared only for those hearings that
are appealed.  To the extent that district courts overturn
determinations made by state agencies (and upheld by state hearings
officers), expenditures related to financial, medical, and food
assistance benefits would increase.
  
Local Government Impact
  
The bill would allow applicants for Medicaid, Food Stamp, or TANF
benefits to appeal to district court decisions made by state agencies
that are sustained by state hearings officers.  This would serve to
increase the number of cases in district courts.  The bill also provides
that such appeals take precedence over all civil cases except workers'
compensation and unemployment cases.
  
  
Source Agencies:   324   Department of Human Services, 501   Department
                   of Health
LBB Staff:         JK, TP, PP