LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 26, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Toby Goodman, Chair, House Committee on
               Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB3838  by Goodman (Relating to the protection of certain
               children.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill's requirement that counties pay the cost of attorneys
representing indigent parents could result in increased costs to a
county, depending on the number of cases in which indigent parents would
require attorneys ad litem and whether a county currently pays such
costs.  According to Dallas County, the bill would not result in
significant costs since Dallas County already bears the cost of
attorneys for indigent parents. Denton County, however, estimates that
the bill could increase costs to the county by $10,000 to $15,000
annually.
  
  
Source Agencies:   530   Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
LBB Staff:         JK, MD, NM, TL