LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                                May 3, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Elliott Naishtat, Chair, House Committee on
               Human Services
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB962  by Moncrief (Relating to a pilot project to
               address the need for more child protective services
               workers in certain regions of the state.), As Engrossed
  
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*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB962, As Engrossed:  negative impact of $(1,467,569) through the     *
*  biennium ending August 31, 2003.                                      *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2002                           $(776,153)  *
          *       2003                            (691,416)  *
          *       2004                            (691,416)  *
          *       2005                            (691,416)  *
          *       2006                            (691,416)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
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*Fiscal        Probable             Probable        Change in Number of  *
* Year    Savings/(Cost) from  Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from  *
*        General Revenue Fund    Federal Funds -          FY 2001        *
*                0001                Federal                             *
*                                     0555                               *
*  2002             $(776,153)           $(358,905)                 30.0 *
*  2003              (691,416)            (320,165)                 28.0 *
*  2004              (691,416)            (320,165)                 28.0 *
*  2005              (691,416)            (320,165)                 28.0 *
*  2006              (691,416)            (320,165)                 28.0 *
**************************************************************************
  
Given the limited availability of TANF federal funds, for the purposes of
this fiscal note, General Revenue is assumed as the method of financing.
Should additional TANF federal fund become available, $459,926 in FY
2002, and $409,893 in fiscal years 2003-06, in General Revenue costs
assumed above could be financed with TANF federal funds.
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would establish a pilot project to help the Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS) meet the need for child
protective service specialists (caseworkers) in the region of the state
with the highest percentage of authorized caseworker positions unfilled
and the highest caseworker turnover rate on the effective date of the
Act which is September 1, 2001.  PRS must remove the limit on the number
of authorized caseworker positions for the target region, increase the
number of trainee positions by 200%, increase the number of trainers and
related training academy positions, and provide funds to accomplish
these purposes.  PRS may only terminate the pilot project if the number
of caseworkers serving the public in the target region equals or exceeds
the number of authorized caseworker positions on August 31, 2001
(immediately before the effective date of the Act).
  
  
Methodology
  
PRS anticipates that Region 3 (Arlington) will have the highest
percentage of authorized caseworker positions unfilled and the highest
caseworker turnover rate on September 1, 2001.  The agency estimates
contract staff would provide training and clerical support during
ramp-up of training activities for FY 2002.  One recruiter would be
hired to keep training classes full for fiscal years 2002 through 2006.
The number of new caseworker positions (including trainees) would be 29
for FY 2002, and then fall to 27 for fiscal years 2003 through 2006, as
turnover subsides.  The method-of-financing includes General Revenue and
federal matching funds.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   530   Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
LBB Staff:         JK, HD, NM