LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
74th Regular Session
March 21, 1995
TO: Honorable Bill Sims, Chair IN RE: Senate BillNo. 1038
Committee on Natural Resources By: Leedom
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No.
1038 (Relating to calculation of interest on sales of public
school land, recording of patents, the sale of minerals under
lands dedicated to the permanent school fund, the commissioner's
discretion to issue permits to prospect for minerals, and the
lease of unsurveyed land in the public domain, including state-
owned riverbeds and channels.) this office has determined the
following:
The bill would make four specific changes in Chapters 51 and 53
of the Natural Resources Code. Under Section 1 of the bill, the
School Land Board would set terms and times for payment of
interest on unpaid and delinquent interest payments for Permanent
School Fund (PSF) land sales. Section 2 would provide for the
mailing of patents by certified mail, a faster and less expensive
way than under current practice. The bill would also allow the
School Land Board to take such actions as are in the best
interest of the PSF, including waiving the mineral reseservation
on state-owned land, if it is determined that the surface value
of the land would be reduced by a mineral reservation. Section 4
of the bill would allow the land commissioner to consider the
highest and best use of the land before issuing a propect permit
which would restrict the land for a period of up to one year.
Although the General Land Office anticipates that the bill would
have a positive fiscal impact as a result of more efficient and
effective use and management of PSF lands, it is unable to
estimate the impact at this time.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
The fiscal implication to the State cannot be determined.
Source: General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board
LBB Staff: JK, KW, DF