LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session March 18, 1999 TO: Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on Human Services FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB996 by Lindsay (Relating to funeral expenses for children in foster care), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * 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 Protective and Regulatory Services to spend funds appropriated for child protective services to pay reasonable and necessary funeral expenses when a child in the department's managing conservatorship dies in foster care. The bill as amended would require the department to request the biological parent or parents to pay reasonable and necessary funeral expenses for a child under the managing conservatorship of the department. Resources that would be used would include the child's insurance policies or savings accounts. The department currently has statutory authority to pay for expenses which totaled approximately $23,000 in fiscal year 1998. The department does not expect the bill to result in significantly higher expenditures. Local Government Impact No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, TP, NM