LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session March 17, 1997 TO: Honorable Ron E. Lewis, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 1877 Committee on County Affairs By: Chisum House Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1877 ( Relating to creation of an Electronic Recording Task force and to certain electronic recording.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1877-As Introduced The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would create an Electronic Recording Task Force which may make recommendations to the State Library and Archives Commission for electronic recording rules regarding the filing and recording of instruments in the public records of county and district clerks. The task force may also make recommendations for the adoption of laws related to electronic filing of instruments in the public records. The State Library and Archives Commission may adopt the electronic recording rules, and county and district clerks may accept instruments filed electronically in accordance with the rules. The bill would take effect immediately and its provisions would expire on January 1, 2000. While it is anticipated that the State Library and Archives Commission would incur some costs associated with providing staff and other support to assist in the development of task force recommendations, it is expected that these costs would be minimal compared to the agency's overall budget, and would not result in significant fiscal implications to the state. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated because the bill does not require county and district clerks to adhere to electronic filing and recording rules adopted by the commission. It is expected that those local governments which chose to follow the filing rules would already possess the computer hardware needed to permit filing and recording by electronic means and could do so at no added cost. In addition, because the bill requires that paper copies must also be provided for any instruments filed and recorded electronically, no cost savings for local governments is anticipated. Source: Agencies: 306 Library and Archives Commission LBB Staff: JK ,TL ,JA