LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 15, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2322  by Coleman (Relating to the authority of a
               guardian of the person of a ward to consent to the
               voluntary admission of the ward to an inpatient
               psychiatric facility.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
**************************************************************************
  
Adult protective services (APS) staff of the Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services may serve as guardians of wards who need in-patient
psychiatric treatment, so the passage of this bill would provide a
mechanism by which APS guardians could be authorized to consent to
treatment and admit wards; by-passing involuntary commitment procedures
for a limited period of time.  APS guardianship policy would have to be
changed to incorporate this new authority for guardians, and staff would
need to be trained on the changes.  These measures could be accomplished
within available resources.
  
Local Government Impact
  
Because this bill authorizes a court to appoint a guardian or attorney ad
litem in certain instances, this bill may have a slight fiscal impact on
local governments. However, no significant fiscal implication to units
of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   212   Office of Court Administration, 530
                   Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, WP, SS