LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 19, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Human Services
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB374  by Zaffirini (Relating to the creation of and
               transfer of certain programs to  a long-term care agency
               on human services, aging, health, and rehabilitation and
               the transfer of certain functions from the Department on
               Aging to the Independent Aging Policy Council.), As
               Introduced
  
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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.                                                             *
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The bill would create the Department of Long-term Care Services and the
Independent Aging Policy Council.  It is assumed all funding and FTE
positions associated with programs identified in the bill would transfer
to the appropriate agency, resulting in no additional cost.  The bill
would require the creation of two executive management FTE positions
(Commissioner and Executive Deputy Commissioner) for the Department of
Long-term Care Services.  It is assumed these positions could be funded
within existing resources which would transfer to the agency.

The bill would create the Independent Aging Policy Council, the Citizens
Advisory Council, and a work group to study coordination of planning and
services between the Department of Long-term Care Services and the
Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and provide for
members of these entities to receive travel and/or per diem
compensation.  It is assumed these costs could be absorbed within
existing resources, provided the General Appropriations Act authorizes
such expenditures.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.  It is assumed the current Area Agency on Aging structure
would be maintained.
  
  
Source Agencies:   655   Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
                   Retardation, 301   Office of the Governor, 330
                   Rehabilitation Commission, 529   Health and Human
                   Services Commission, 530   Department of Protective
                   and Regulatory Services, 340   Department on Aging,
                   332   Department of Housing and Community Affairs,
                   501   Department of Health, 324   Department of
                   Human Services, 116   Sunset Advisory Commission
LBB Staff:         JK, TH, PP