LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 7, 2003

TO:	Honorable Carlos Uresti, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2968 by Naishtat (Relating to administrative and judicial review of certain decisions about public assistance benefits.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend Chapter 22 of the Human Resources Code by adding Section 22.0181 establishing judicial review of the Department of Human Services (DHS) client benefit appeals (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF, Medical, and Food Stamp).

DHS indicated that after a DHS Hearing Officer finds against a client or applicant, the client or applicant has to request an administrative review by the appropriate regional attorney. The regional attorney would have five days from receipt of the request to complete the administrative review. At that time, the client or applicant has exhausted his available administrative remedies, and the decision is final and appealable to court. The bill would require the appeal to be filed in Travis County, with a district court judge deciding the case under the substantial evidence rule.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:	320 Texas Workforce Commission, 324 Department of Human Services, 501 Department of Health, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 655 Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
LBB Staff:	JK, EB, KF, JC, ML