LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                               May 17, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Bill Ratliff, Lieutenant Governor
               Honorable James E. "Pete" Laney, Speaker of the House
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB684  by Madla (Relating to the definition of
               non-physician mental health professional for purposes of
               a proceeding or evaluation under the Texas Mental Health
               Code.), Conference Committee Report
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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This bill would allow the inclusion of licensed professional counselors
and licensed marriage and family therapists to the list of non-physician
mental health professionals found in Section 571.003(15) of the Health
and Safety Code.  These individuals may provide court testimony when
involuntary status is under consideration by a judge.  They also may
perform an 'independent evaluation' at the request of any psychiatric
inpatient.  There would not be significant new costs associated with
adding this category of professional to the list.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   655   TX Dept. of Mental Health & Mental Retardation
LBB Staff:         JK, HD, MB