LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session March 20, 1997 TO: Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 520, As Engrossed Committee on Natural Resources By: Woolley Senate Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB520 ( Relating to menhaden boat licenses.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB520-As Engrossed No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would create a new class of menhaden boat license. As a result, two menhaden boat licenses, Class A and Class B, would be offered. In the past, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has required a license for only those boats involved in catching, storing and transporting menhaden. Under HB520, this license would be known as a Class A menhaden boat license. The current statutory minimum license fee is $2,000, but the Parks and Wildlife Commission has set the fee at $3,500. HB520 would not impact license fee revenues for boats involved in catching, storing and transporting menhaden. HB520 would create a second class of license, known as a Class B menhaden boat license, at a fee not to exceed $50. The Class B license would be required for boats that assist in catching menhaden. Prior to fiscal year 1997, the TPWD did not require such boats to obtain a license. Therefore, the fiscal impact of HB520 is calculated by multiplying the number of Class B boats (42) by the license fee of $50. The estimated fiscal impact is a revenue gain to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account 009 of $2,100. In fiscal year 1997, however, the TPWD determined that the current statute also required boats that assist in catching menhaden to obtain a license. Current law only established one license, so boats that assist in catching menhaden are now required to obtain a license at a fee of $3,500. Under the agency's recent interpretation, license revenue generated from boats that assist in catching menhaden could total $147,000 (42 x $3,500) in fiscal year 1997. Under HB520, the license fee for these boats would be $50, and the license would be known as a Class B license. The estimated fiscal impact of HB520 in relation to the agency's recent interpretation of the law is a revenue loss to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account 009 of $144,900 ($147,000 generated from the $3,500 license minus the $2,100 generated from the Class B $50 ). No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source: Agencies: 802 Parks and Wildlife Department LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,DM