LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
74th Regular Session
April 30, 1995
TO: Honorable Robert M. Saunders, Chair IN RE: House BillNo. 2712,
Committee on Land and Resource as amended
Management By: Kuempel
House of Representatives
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
2712 (Relating to removing the authority of certain local
governments to participate directly in regional habitat
conservation plans; requiring the Parks and Wildlife Department
to coordinate with governmental entities affected by the plan and
to submit the plan to the legislature for review.) 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 remove the authority granted to local governments
to develop, enforce, and administer a Habitat Conservation Plan
(HCP). It would continue to allow the Parks and Wildlife
Department to develop HCPs. It would require coordination with
any other affected state agency or local government, and the
submission of the plan to the Legislature before it is submitted
to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bill would have a fiscal impact on local governments.
Regional HCPs are currently an option available to local
governments to facilitate planning for economic growth in
endangered species habitat. It is estimated that regional HCPs
cost local entities significantly less than options consisting of
many individual HCPs. The precise increase in cost to local
governments from the loss of this authority cannot be determined.
The Parks and Wildlife Department would need additional staff to
handle the increased workload that would result if all authority
for developing regional HCPs were vested with the Department.
There is a potential for the Department to perform these services
for local governments under contract which would allow offsetting
revenue to be collected.
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 Change in
Year of Game, Fish and Number of State
Water Safety Employees from
Account 009 FY 1995
1996 $55,636 1.0
1997 55,636 1.0
1998 107,771 2.0
1999 159,907 3.0
2000 159,907 3.0
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.
Source: Natural Resources Conservation Commission, Parks and
Wildlife Department
LBB Staff: JK, PVT, DF