LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
74th Regular Session
April 30, 1995
TO: Honorable Warren Chisum, Chair IN RE: Committee Substitute
Committee on Environmental Regulation for House
House of Representatives Bill No. 2479
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
2479 (Relating to the consolidation of herbicide, pesticide, and
agricultural workplace chemical laws under the jurisdiction of
the Department of Agriculture.) 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 consolidate provisions relating to the regulation
of herbicides, pesticides, and the use of agricultural workplace
chemicals under the jurisdiction of the Department of
Agriculture, with rulemaking and coordination provided by the
Agriculture Resources Protection Authority. The bill would amend
registration requirements for pesticides and pesticide dealers
through the implementation of a biennial, rather than annual,
registration program which would also double the maximum fee for
registration. The bill would amend record keeping requirements
for commercial, non-commercial, and private applicators, and
pesticide dealers.
The bill would delete the exemption of licensing fees for
governmental entity non-commercial applicators, and transfer the
responsibility for licensing pesticide applicators involved in
health-related pest control from the Department of Health to the
Structural Pest Control Board. The bill would repeal provisions
relating to herbicide regulation and the Agricultural Hazard
Communication Act.
The Department of Agriculture would realize additional costs due
to programming changes required for the transition from an annual
to a biennial licensing system, educating the regulated community
about new record keeping requirements, and monitoring compliance.
These costs would be offset by lower costs to administer the
program due to the transition from an annual to a biennial
licensing process and an increase in fees due to the loss of
exemption of government non-commercial applicator licensing fees.
The Structural Pest Control Board would realize additional costs
due to an increase of an estimated 450 additional licensees. The
costs would be offset by fees collected by the agency. There
would be no loss of revenue to the Health Department and minimal
cost savings due to the transfer of licensing responsibilities.
There would be additional costs to units of local government as
they would be required to pay licensing fees for noncommercial
applicators. These costs to local governments and the
corresponding revenue gain to the State from licensing fees
cannot be determined.
The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of
the bill during each of the first five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Fiscal Probable Cost Out Probable Revenue Probable Cost Out
Year of General Gain to the of GR
Revenue Fund 001 General Revenue Consolidated -
Fund 001 Structural Pest
Control Fund 424
1996 $135,000 $135,000 $29,700
1997 5,995 5,995 29,700
1998 9,991 9,991 29,700
1999 9,991 9,991 29,700
2000 9,991 9,991 29,700
Fiscal Probable Revenue Change in
Year Gain to GR Number of State
Consolidated - Employees from
Structural Pest FY 1995
Control Fund 424
1996 $29,700 .0
1997 29,700 (.8)
1998 29,700 (.8)
1999 29,700 (.8)
2000 29,700 (.8)
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.
The fiscal implication to units of local government cannot be
determined.
Source: Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control
Board,
Natural Resources Conservation
Commission
LBB Staff: JK, JH, DF