LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 21, 1997
TO: Honorable Clyde Alexander, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 1437
Committee on Transportation By: Carter
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1437 ( Relating
to the creation of an emergency telephone call box system for
highway users in this state.) this office has detemined the
following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1437-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
impact of $0 to General Revenue Related Funds through the biennium
ending August 31, 1999.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of Transportation (TxDot)
to establish a system of telephone emergency call boxes along
highways in the state that are numbered U.S. highways, part
of a national system of interstate and defense highways, or
numbered state highways (approximately 31,600 centerline miles).
The bill would require that, when fully implemented, the distance
between two call boxes would be no more than two miles. The
department would be required to implement the system by June
1, 1998.
Methodolgy
The bill requires the department to collect a fee of $1 in addition
to the existing registration fees for each vehicle registered
on or after September 1, 1997. The fee would be deposited into
a separate account in the state highway fund for the purpose
of designing, implementing, operating, and maintaining an emergency
telephone call box system.
TxDot estimates that, within the
estimated revenues available, they would install approximately
15,400 call boxes across the state. The department assumes a
10 year lease option with the total cost per system at $4,080
at the end of the 10 years. Initial cost is estimated to be
$2,800 per call box.
TxDot has estimated the cost of implementation
and operation of the system for a six year period from fiscal
year 1997 through fiscal year 2002 to be almost $62.0 million
with revenues for the same period to be $76.6 million.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Six Year Impact:
Fiscal Year Probable Probable Revenue
Savings/(Cost) Gain/(Loss) from
from State State Highway Fund
Highway Fund
0006 0006
1997 ($55,727) $0
1997 (1,821,084) 15,009,000
1999 (9,981,013) 15,159,000
2000 (14,476,258) 15,310,000
2001 (17,827,854) 15,464,000
2002 (17,827,854) 15,618,000
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1997 $0
1998 0
1999 0
2000 0
2001 0
2002 0
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government
is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 477 Advisory Commission on State Emergency Communications
501 Department of Health
405 Department of Public Safety
601 Department of Transportation
LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,ML