Honorable Briscoe Cain, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB4413 by Guillen (relating to the establishment of a task force to make recommendations for updating the livestock brand registration process.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4413, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted : a negative impact of ($746,332) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.
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
2024
($383,666)
2025
($362,666)
2026
($362,666)
2027
($362,666)
2028
($362,666)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2023
2024
($383,666)
3.0
2025
($362,666)
3.0
2026
($362,666)
3.0
2027
($362,666)
3.0
2028
($362,666)
3.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend Agriculture Code to establish an updated livestock brand registration task force. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) would establish and lead the task force. The task force would also be composed of representatives from various other local, state, and private entities. The task force may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and private entities.
Under the provisions of the bill, the task force would be responsible for developing statewide recommendations related to livestock identification and registration. In addition, the task force would be authorized to establish other goals or recommendations it deems within its scope and worth pursuing or recommending. The task force would be required to submit an interim report to the Legislature regarding its recommendations no later than December 1, 2024, and every subsequent two years, with a final comprehensive report being due on December 1, 2032.
The bill would expire on January 1, 2033.
Methodology
Based on information provided from TAHC, this analysis assumes that three FTEs would be required for the task force to implement the provisions of the bill. The estimated salary and benefits costs would total $351,891 each year, consisting of $105,000 each for two Director II positions, $60,000 for a Program Specialist position, and $81,891 for benefit costs. Travel costs would total an estimated $9,000 each fiscal year. This analysis assumes each FTE would travel on 2 three-day trips at a cost of $1,500 per FTE per trip ($1,500 x 3 FTEs = $4,500; $4,500 x 2 trips/year = $9,000). Other meetings would be held at the task force headquarters in Austin. This analysis includes start-up expenses of $21,000 in 2024, consisting of $7,000 per FTE for necessary technology and office equipment purchases and ongoing office expenses of $1,775 each fiscal year for consumables and printing expenses.
Based on information provided from TAHC, the amount of gifts, grants, and donations the task force could receive are unknown at this time.
Local Government Impact
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because costs to counties for participation from county sheriff's departments and other necessary county positions for task force activities to implement the provisions of the bill is unknown.
Source Agencies:
554 Animal Health Commission, 555 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices