LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              March 11, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Human Services
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB27  by Nelson (Relating to parental consent before an
               abortion may be performed on a minor; providing a
               criminal penalty), Committee Report 1st House,
               Substituted
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
The bill would require the Department of Health to develop and provide a
certification form to be used by a physician to certify that a medical
emergency existed and the required consent could not be obtained.  It is
assumed that costs associated with providing the certification form
would be absorbed using the agency's existing resources.  The bill would
also require the clerk of the Supreme Court of Texas to create an
application form to be submitted by minors seeking judicial consent
without parental consent and a notice of appeal form.  According to the
Office of Court Administration, this requirement would have minimal
fiscal impact.
  
Local Government Impact
  
The bill would require a justice of the peace to hear and rule on an
application submitted by a minor seeking judicial consent without
parental consent. The bill would allow a minor whose application was
denied to file a de novo appeal to a county court or district court.
Filing fees or court costs may not be assessed against a minor. It is
assumed that the affected courts would bear the costs for an appointed
attorney or a guardian ad litem on behalf of a minor.

Dallas County estimates 10 to 20 cases per year at a cost of $500 per
case, or approximately $5,000 to $10,000 per year.  In addition, Dallas
County anticipates a loss of $1,700 to $3,400 in revenue due to the
iniability to assess fees.

Harris County estimates that the provisions of the bill would result in
costs of $643,000 per year based on 600 cases or half of the abortions
performed in the county.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TP, AZ, RM