LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 14, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Warren Chisum, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 2776, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
          Committee on Environmental Regulation                              By: Jackson
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB2776 ( Relating 
to the regulation of state superfund sites.) this office has 
detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB2776-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.
         
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
 
The bill would amend certain sections of the Health and Safety 
and Water Codes to provide immunity from liability of a person 
certified by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission 
(TNRCC) as an innocent owner or operator of property for investigating, 
monitoring, remediation, or corrective and other response actions 
regarding conditions due to release or migration of a contaminant.
 
Methodolgy
 
The TNRCC would be required to establish a new certification 
process in the Pollution Cleanup Program to determine if individuals 
applying for immunity from liability qualify.  Fees would be 
collected to offset costs of the program.
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           Change in Number   
            Gain/(Loss) from   Savings/(Cost)     of State                                                
            General Revenue    from General       Employees from                                          
            Fund               Revenue Fund       FY 1997                                                 
            0001               0001                                                                        
       1998          $417,197        ($417,197)               6.0                                    
       1998           376,697         (376,697)               6.0                                    
       2000           376,697         (376,697)               6.0                                    
       2001           376,697         (376,697)               6.0                                    
       2002           376,697         (376,697)               6.0                                    
 


 
         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 fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,BB ,MS