LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
April 8, 1997
TO: Honorable Edmund Kuempel, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 2542
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-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.
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:
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 $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