LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 3, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Edmund Kuempel, Chair        IN RE: Committee Substitute
         Committee on State Recreational                        for House
         Resources                              Bill No. 1785
         House of Representatives                            
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
1785 (relating to certain Parks and Wildlife Department
admissions fees, license requirements, and exemptions) this
office has determined the following:

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.

The bill would amend the provision in the Parks and Wildlife Code
that provides free entrance to state parks to all persons 65
years old or over.  Persons who are 65 years old or older, who
are not Texas residents, would no longer be eligible for Parkland
Passports.  Texas residents 65 years old or over would  be
eligible for Parkland Passports, but a passport holder would no
longer enter state parks for free.  Instead, the entrance fee for
a passport holder would be 50% of the regular entrance fee. 
Persons who turn 65 prior to September 1, 1995 and veterans with
certain disabilities will continue to be eligible for free
entrance.

There would be a revenue gain in state park receipts from
imposing a half-price park entrance fee on holders of Parklands
Passports issues after August 31, 1995.  The probable revenue
gain would be approximately $400,000 - $485,000 per year.

The bill would also authorize the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Commission to establish fishing license fees for youth under 17    




years old and person 65 years old or older.  Persons who have
turned 65 years old prior to September 1, 1995 will continue to 
be exempted from any fishing license requirements.  The revenue
gain from imposing fishing license fees on persons under 17 and
over 65 cannot be estimated because the Commission would be
authorized to set those fees.

The bill would also authorize the Parks and Wildlife Commission
to establish recreational fishing license issuance and collection
fees for license deputies rather than setting the fee in statute. 
 The revenue gain from repealing the $.50 fee an issuing license
deputy could retain cannot be determined because the Commission
would be authorized to establish collection and issuance fees.


No fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.


Source:   Comptroller of Public Accounts, Parks and Wildlife
Department
          LBB Staff: JK, PVT, DF