LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                            February 26, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Toby Goodman, Chair, House Committee on
               Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1790  by Clark (Relating to the requirement of
               notifying the parent or guardian of a child who is
               referred to juvenile court but who is not taken into
               custody.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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On referral of the case of a child who has not been taken into custody to
the office designated by the juvenile court, the bill would require the
person or agency making the referral to give notice of the referral and a
statement of the reason for the referral to the child's parents,
guardian, or custodian. Current law requires that referrals include the
name and address of the child's parent and a complete statement of the
reason for the referral. The bill's fiscal impact is difficult to
determine for the following reasons:
(1)   Numerous entities, such as a law enforcement agency or a school
district, would bear the cost of the notices. (2)   The bill does not
specify that the notice must be written or if the notice must be served.
(3)   The notification requirement may have a deterrent effect on a
child's future delinquent conduct and may offset the fiscal impact to
some extent.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, JC, AJ