LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 3, 2013

TO:	Honorable Tryon D. Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2774 by Rodriguez, Justin (Relating to intervention by a foster parent in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Family Code to prohibit a court from permitting a foster parent of a child placed in their care by the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to intervene in a pending suit involving the child unless the relationship between the child and every living parent of the child has been finally terminated for at least 90 days. The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.

DFPS reports that it does not anticipate the bill will result in a significant difference in the speed with which children are adopted.  The agency reports that the bill will not have a significant fiscal impact and could be implemented with existing agency resources. It is not anticipated that the bill will have any significant fiscal impact on the court system.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

530 Family and Protective Services, Department of, 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council

LBB Staff:

UP, AM, CL, MB, VJC