LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 8, 2003

TO:	Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1571 by Dutton (Relating to certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship of, certain records regarding, and foster care payments for certain children.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would provide for several changes relative to the functions of the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS). The bill would change and clarify reporting requirements. The bill would make several procedural changes relative to expedited proceedings. The bill would authorize PRS, subject to the availability of funds, to adopt rules that establish guidelines for payment of foster care for a medically fragile child after the age of eighteen (18). PRS indicates that the reporting and procedural changes can be absorbed within existing resources. The new population, medically fragile children over eighteen (18) but less than twenty-two (22) years of age, would only be served upon availability of funds.

The bill also would add the Bureau of Vital Statistics to those entities that must provide a child's  report of alleged or suspected abuse to certain persons, upon request. The Department of Health indicates no significant fiscal impact. The bill is prospective in application. The effective date of the bill is September 1, 2003.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:	530 Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, 501 Department of Health
LBB Staff:	JK, GO, VDS, AJ