LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 4, 2003

TO:	Honorable Jaime Capelo, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2479 by Olivo (Relating to criteria for voluntary admission to state schools for persons with mental retardation. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require a state school to admit any person with mental retardation for whom an application for voluntary admission is filed, if 1) the school has sufficient bed space for the person to be admitted 2) the person is eligible to receive Medicaid benefits and 3) the school would provide the least restrictive environment appropriate to the person's care.

The bill would not have a significant fiscal impact if the interpretation of "sufficient bed space" were defined as the number of funded beds at the school.  If the interpretation is defined as any available bed, regardless of whether there is funding available to support its operation, then the fiscal impact could be significant.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:	655 Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
LBB Staff:	JK, EB, KF, MB