LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 21, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Ron Wilson, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 2135, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
          Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures                              By: Garcia
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB2135 ( Relating 
to the regulation of wall and ceiling contractors; ) this office 
has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB2135-Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
positive impact of $228,290 to General Revenue Related Funds 
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
         
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal 
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions 
of the bill.
         
 
Fiscal Analysis
 
Section 2 of the bill would establish the Texas State Wall and 
Ceiling Contractors Advisory Board (Board) to advise the Department 
of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).  The bill would authorize 
the Commissioner to appoint the board's six members.  TDLR estimates 
that the agency would need to hire one FTE, an Administrative 
Technician IV, for Board support.

Section 3 of the bill would 
require TDLR to issue a Wall and Ceiling Contractor License. 
  Section 5 of the bill would allow TDLR to set application 
and registration fees.  Section 7 of the bill would require 
TDLR to investigate all allegations of violations and Section 
8 would require TDLR to conduct corresponding administrative 
hearings related to these violations.  To implement these sections 
of the bill, TDLR estimates that the agency would need to hire 
two FTEs, one Supervising Inspector to conduct inspections and 
one Administrative Technician I for inspection support.  

The 
total cost to General Revenue to hire the three FTEs would be 
$154,322 in FY 1998 and $131,138 per year thereafter, costs, 
benefits and equipment.  The total revenue gain to General Revenue 
from TDLR collecting Wall and Ceiling Contractor License fees 
would be $285,000 in FY 1998 and $228,750 per year thereafter.
 
Methodolgy
 
Costs and revenue gains to implement the provisions of this 
bill are calculated under the following assumptions:

(1) 
TDLR estimates that there would be 1,425 Wall and Ceiling Contractor 
License registrants in the FY 1998.

(2) TDLR estimates that 
there would be 75 new registrations and 1,425 renewals per year 
in FYs 1999 thorough 2002.  

(3) A Wall and Ceiling Contractor 
License would cost $200 per year and renewals would cost $150 
per year. 
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions 
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage 
is estimated as follows:
 
Five Year Impact:
 
Fiscal Year Probable           Probable Revenue   Change in Number   
            Savings/(Cost)     Gain/(Loss) from   of State                                                
            from General       General Revenue    Employees from                                          
            Revenue Fund       Fund               FY 1997                                                 
            0001               0001                                                                        
       1998        ($154,322)          $285,000               3.0                                    
       1998         (131,138)           228,750               3.0                                    
       2000         (131,138)           228,750               3.0                                    
       2001         (131,138)           228,750               3.0                                    
       2002         (131,138)           228,750               3.0                                    
 
 
         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
               1998             $130,678
               1999               97,612
               2000               97,612
               2001               97,612
               2002               97,612
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   TH ,BK