TO:	Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1845 by Metcalf (Relating to the licensing requirements for certain operators of wastewater systems and public water systems.), As Introduced

The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to establish a provisional certification program to provide Class D license wastewater or public water system operators to individuals who do not possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Water Code, Sec. 37.009, requires TCEQ to establish and collect fees to cover the cost of administering and enforcing Chapter 37 and licenses and registrations issued under this chapter and to deposit fees collected for this purpose to the credit of the TCEQ Occupational Licensing Account No. 468. This analysis assumes TCEQ would establish fees as necessary to cover costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill.

Although TCEQ indicates that costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed using existing resources, the agency also reports that the number of individuals that would apply for the new provisional license established by the bill cannot be determined.

Based on the analysis of the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the amount of fee generated revenue that would be realized from implementing the provisions of the bill cannot be determined because the number of new licenses that would be issued are unknown.

Local Government Impact

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