LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 19, 2009

TO:	Honorable Todd Hunter, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3559 by Phillips (Relating to the qualifications and duties of a parenting coordinator in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3559, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

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
2010	$0
2011	$0
2012	$0
2013	$0
2014	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Revenue Gain from General Revenue Fund 1	Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010	$31,243	($31,243)	0.5
2011	$23,143	($23,143)	0.5
2012	$23,143	($23,143)	0.5
2013	$23,143	($23,143)	0.5
2014	$23,143	($23,143)	0.5

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Family Code relating to the qualifications and duties of a parenting coordinator in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.  The bill would establish minimum qualifications for a parenting coordinator and requires that a court appoint only those persons meeting the qualifications. The bill would also provide for disclosure, withdrawal and other processes regarding conflict of interest of a parenting coordinator. Under the bill, a court that appoints a parenting coordinator would be required to specify whether the individual will serve in a confidential or non-confidential capacity, and would specify the duties of the parenting coordinator in the case. The bill would set out the criteria for removal of a parenting coordinator by a court. To the extent that the bill would affects judicial decision-making in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, no significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.  

However, implementation of bill provisions would result in significant costs to the Board of Examiners of Psychologists, as described below. 

The bill would take effect September 1, 2009.        

Methodology

Based on analysis provided the Board of Examiners of Psychologists (BEP), implementation of this bill would require 0.5 FTEs to investigate complaints regarding parenting coordinators.  The FTE would cost $18,000 in salary and wages with associated benefits of $5,143 for each fiscal year of 2010-2014.  Additionally, the FTE would require one-time equipment costs of $8,100 in fiscal year 2010. 

Technology

The technology impact is anticipated to be $3,600 in fiscal year 2010.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 520 Board of Examiners of Psychologists, 537 State Health Services, Department of

LBB Staff:

JOB, MN, TB, CH