LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 24, 2023

TO:	Honorable James B. Frank, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB5051 by Campos (Relating to emancipation and extended foster care for certain older youth and young adults within the jurisdiction of court in a suit affecting the parent child relationship involving the Department of Family and Protective Services.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would allow the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to file a petition to have the disabilities of minority removed for a child in its conservatorship if the child is at least 17 years old, and has refused services from the department or has been consistently absent from the child's placement for a sixty-day period prior to filing the petition. 

According to DFPS, unless the youth meet other tuition and fee waiver eligibility criteria, they would no longer be eligible for post-secondary educational support. The agency is also uncertain if these youth would be automatically eligible for Medicaid until age 26, as these youth are no longer in foster care. In addition, DFPS indicated the bill may affect the agency's ability to draw down Title IV-E federal funding for youth that return to care after the trial independence status and who had the disabilities of minority removed by a court. The agency indicated that this is a small population and the federal funds loss would be minimal. 

It is assumed any costs to DFPS and the Office of Court Administration could be absorbed within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

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

LBB Staff:

JMc, NPe, ER, AN