LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 15, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Edmund Kuempel, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 2542, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
          Committee on State Recreational Resources                              By: Kuempel
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB2542 ( Relating 
to the regulation of parks and wildlife; providing penalties.) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB2542-Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
         

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.  
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
annual gain to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account (009) 
of $137,000 beginning in fiscal year 1998.  

         
 
Fiscal Analysis
 
House Bill 2542 would revise statutes relating to the regulation 
of state parks and wildlife.  The bill would change maximum 
fine amounts to reflect the amounts prescribed in the Texas 
Penal Code.

Sections 21-23 of the bill address water vessels. 
 The bill would change the definition of boats subject to a 
sales tax.  It would also require boats that are moored, docked, 
or stored to be registered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 
 The bill would change or eliminate various license fees, including 
falconry permits, alligator licenses, and oyster location rental 
fees.
 
Methodolgy
 
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department used historical data 
to determine fiscal impacts of the bill's provisions.  The Department 
estimated that the bill's provision to require docked, moored 
or stored boats to be registered would result in an increase 
in boat registration revenues of approximately 1.5 percent. 
 Based on fiscal year 1996 revenues of $9.2 million, the Department 
estimates an annual revenue gain to the Fish, Game and Water 
Safety Account 009 of $138,000.  The Department also estimates 
an annual gain to Account 009 of $14,000 from additional sales 
taxes collected on commercial vessels.

The Department estimates 
an annual  revenue loss of $8,000 from the repeal in falconry 
permit requirements, and an annual revenue loss of $7,000 due 
to the elimination of oyster location rental fees.  Other license 
fee provisions would result in no significant impact to the 
Department.  In addition, the Department estimated that the 
change in fine amounts would not have a significant fiscal impact 
to the state.
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 Revenue   Probable Revenue   Change in Number   
            Gain/(Loss) from   Gain/(Loss) from   of State                                                
            Game, Fish and     Game, Fish and     Employees from                                          
            Water Safety       Water Safety       FY 1997                                                 
            Account            Account                                                                    
            0009               0009                                                                        
       1998          $152,000         ($15,000)               0.0                                    
       1998           152,000          (15,000)               0.0                                    
       2000           152,000          (15,000)               0.0                                    
       2001           152,000          (15,000)               0.0                                    
       2002           152,000          (15,000)               0.0                                    
 


 
         Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
 

 
              Fiscal Year      Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
                               General Revenue Related Funds
                                             Funds
               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:   802   Parks and Wildlife Department
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,BB ,DM