LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 7, 2003

TO:	Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1751 by Hupp (Relating to child support and medical support orders for certain children in substitute care.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require a court to order parents who are financially able and whose parental rights have been terminated with respect to a child in substitute care to pay child support until the earliest of:

(1) the child's adoption;

(2) the child's 18th birthday or high school graduation, whichever is later;

(3) the removal of the child's disabilities of minority; or

(4) the child's death.

The parent would be required to pay child support indefinitely if the child at issue is disabled.

These provisions are assumed to result in moderate increases in revenue due to child support collections in about 5 percent of the cases in which child support is ordered. These provisions are assumed to result in delays in cases in which under current law, the parent would have voluntarily agreed to termination of parental rights. The overall impact, however, is assumed to be insignificant. 

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General, 530 Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

LBB Staff:

JK, GO, KE, AJ