LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 26, 2023

TO:
Honorable John Kuempel, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
 
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HJR3 by Bonnen (Proposing a constitutional amendment renaming the national research university fund as the Texas University Fund, providing for the appropriation of certain investment income from the economic stabilization fund to the Texas University Fund, excepting appropriations to and from the Texas University Fund from the constitutional limit on the rate of growth of appropriations, and appropriating money from the general revenue fund to the Texas University Fund to be spent for purposes of providing funding to certain public institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy.), As Introduced


Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HJR3, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($3,602,337,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.

The above costs are in addition to the $204,406 cost to the state for publication of the resolution.

Appropriations:

Fiscal Year Appropriation out of
General Revenue Fund
1
2024($3,500,000,000)
2025$0

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:

Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to
General Revenue Related Funds
2024($3,500,204,406)
2025($102,337,000)
2026$0
2027$0
2028$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1		 Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
Texas University Fund
214		 Probable (Cost) from
Economic Stabilization Fund
599
2024($3,500,204,406)$3,500,000,000$0
2025($102,337,000)$100,000,000($102,316,000)
2026$0$100,000,000($617,000)
2027$0$100,000,000($107,042,000)
2028$0$100,000,000($111,292,000)


Fiscal Analysis

The resolution would propose an amendment to Article III (Legislative Department) and Article VII (Education) of the Texas Constitution.

The proposed amendment would redesignate the National Research University Fund as the Texas University Fund. 

The proposed amendment would direct the Comptroller, on January 1, 2024, to transfer $3.5 billion from the General Revenue Fund to the Texas University Fund. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board would be appropriated $3.5 billion from the fund for distribution to eligible institutions for the 2024-25 biennium.

The amendment states that, for purposes of the calculation of the constitutional tax spending limit in Article VIII, money in the fund would be dedicated by the constitution and an appropriation of money to the fund would be an appropriation of state tax revenues dedicated by the constitution.

The proposed amendment would appropriate from the Economic Stabilization Fund to the Comptroller, for deposit to the credit of the Texas University Fund, an amount equal to the lesser of $100.0 million or the interest and other earnings attributable to the investment of money in the Economic Stabilization Fund for the preceding fiscal year.

The proposed amendment would be submitted to voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.

Methodology

The resolution, contingent on enactment and voter approval, would authorize a $3.5 billion transfer from the General Revenue Fund to the Texas University Fund (TUF) in fiscal year 2024. The resolution also would provide for the appropriation of up to $100.0 million from the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) to the TUF each fiscal year. 

The fiscal impacts in the tables above are based on the 2024-25 Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) and the fiscal implications of Senate Bill 30, as engrossed, as the supplemental appropriations will materially affect the ESF balance, related reserves and transfers of severance tax revenue, and interest and investment earnings.

General Revenue Fund implications in fiscal year 2025 represent an increase in the amount of reserves for severance taxes for transfer to the ESF as a result of the $100.0 million appropriation from the ESF for deposit to the TUF. This appropriation would decrease the ESF balance and result in a larger transfer to the ESF in fiscal year 2026 than assumed in the BRE as adjusted for the effects of SB 30 on the ESF balance.

Implications to the ESF represent the net difference between appropriations from the ESF and increased severance taxes transferred to the fund in fiscal year 2026, and consequent changes to ESF interest and investment earnings.

This analysis only addresses implications for the TUF represented by appropriated amounts into the TUF, either from General Revenue or ESF; any interest or investment earnings on the TUF fund balance are not considered. The fiscal impacts association with any uses of the fund are shown in the fiscal note for the enabling legislation (HB 1595).

Note: This legislation would create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a fund either in, with, or outside of the Treasury, or dedicate or rededicate a revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in this bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.


Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board
LBB Staff:
JMc, MOc, JSM, CFl, NV, CMA, BRI