Honorable Charles Perry, Chair, Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3081 by Krause (Relating to the issuance of digital tags for the taking of certain animals.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3081, As Engrossed : an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
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
2022
$0
2023
$0
2024
$0
2025
$0
2026
$0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from Game,Fish,Water Safety Ac 9
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2021
2022
($712,806)
6.0
2023
($543,578)
5.2
2024
($543,578)
5.2
2025
($543,578)
5.2
2026
($543,578)
5.2
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code to authorize the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to develop and implement a program for the issuance of digital tags for animals, including birds, to holders of hunting licenses. The digital tag program would be authorized to provide for the electronic issuance of appropriate digital tags to the holder of the license; to allow the holder of the license to create a digital record at the time of harvesting the animal that includes the date, location, and a photo of the harvested animal and any other information required by the department; and to require the license holder to upload the digital record to a mobile application. The license holder would be required to retain the digital record in their possession at all times before the animal is at its final destination point for processing.
This bill would be effective September 1, 2021, or immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house.
Methodology
This analysis assumes that TPWD will develop the digital tag program authorized by the bill. Based on information provided by TPWD, it is assumed that 6.0 FTEs would be needed for the development, maintenance, and support of the digital tag program in fiscal year 2022: 2.0 Systems Support Specialist II at $40,240 per year; 2.0 Customer Service Representative IV at $45,240 per year; 0.5 Programmer III at $40,120 per year; 0.5 Systems Analyst IV at $30,120 per year; 0.5 Quality Assurance Specialist II at $30,120 per year; and 0.5 Database Administrator III at $40,120 per year. Total salary, benefits and other costs associated with these FTEs would be $492,806 in fiscal year 2022.
In fiscal year 2023, it is assumed that 5.2 FTEs would be needed for the program: 2.0 Systems Support Specialist II at $40,240 per year; 2.0 Customer Service Representative IV at $45,240 per year; 0.3 Programmer III at $20,120 per year; 0.3 Systems Analyst IV at $15,120 per year; 0.3 Quality Assurance Specialist II at $15,120 per year; and 0.3 Database Administrator III at $20,120 per year. Total salary, benefits and other costs associated with these FTEs would be $323,578 in fiscal year 2023 and each subsequent fiscal year.
Annual technology costs, detailed below, would total an additional $220,000 per year.
Technology
Technology costs, including IT testing tools, help desk software, security testing and servers, would be $220,000 per year.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.