LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 74th Regular Session March 28, 1995 TO: Honorable Edmund Kuempel, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 1785 Committee on State Recreational By: Kuempel Resources 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