LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 27, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Fred M. Bosse, Chair, House Committee on Civil
               Practices
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1952  by Grusendorf (Relating to an award of attorney's
               fees to the prevailing party in certain suits related to
               public schools.), As Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would provide that in a civil suit brought against an
independent school district for actions or omissions on the part of the
district, the court shall award attorneys fees to the prevailing party.
The provisions of the bill would not apply to a suit brought under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

To the extent that a school district loses a case brought against it
under this law, the district would be responsible for attorneys fees
awarded by the courts.  The school district would also potentially gain
from the provision when it prevails in such suits.  Fiscal impact could
potentially be significant and would vary depending on the number of
lawsuits brought against the district and how many of those suits were
lost.
  
  
Source Agencies:   701   Texas Education Agency
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, DB