LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  May 15, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 2848, As Engrossed
          Committee on Natural Resources                              By: Berlanga
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB2848 ( Relating 
to the curation of artifacts and other items in the custody 
of the Texas Historical Commission.) this office has detemined 
the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB2848-As Engrossed
         
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.


         
The bill would allow the Historical Commission to contract with 
qualified institutions to serve as a repository for artifacts 
in the custody of the Historical Commission and would designate 
the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History as the repository 
for marine artifacts.  The bill would allow the Historical Commission 
to contract with other qualified institutions to serve as additional 
repositories for marine artifacts, and specifies that the commission 
may authorize archeological repositories to loan artifacts to 
qualified institutions for display.

The Historical Commission 
has indicated that in general, their practice has been to negotiate 
mutual agreements or partnerships with institutions regarding 
marine or archeological artifacts that do not result in a cost 
to the commission.  In the event that a contract would be necessary, 
contract costs would vary depending on the size of the collection, 
the type of artifacts, and the work required on the collection. 
   
         
 
          
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,BB ,TH ,JA