LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session April 2, 1997 TO: Honorable David Counts, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 3059 Committee on Natural Resources By: King House Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB3059 ( Relating to the regulation of on-site sewage disposal facilities.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB3059-As Introduced Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net negative impact of $(1,447,794) 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 This bill would create two new General Revenue dedicated (GR-dedicated) accounts. The Occupational Licensing Account would be for the deposit of fees collected from on-site installer trainees, authorized agents and registered installers. The Water Resource Management Account would be for the deposit of permit fees collected for on-site sewage disposal system permit applications. The bill would limit the use of these two accounts to administration of the on-site sewage disposal systems program. This bill would add public health districts to the list of local governmental entities that are eligible to be authorized agents of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC). The bill would allow local governments designated as authorized agents to initiate civil action against violators. Authorized agents prevailing in a civil suit would be allowed to recover reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and investigative costs. The bill would take effect September 1, 1997. Methodolgy Amounts currently collected by TNRCC from permit fees, installers and authorized agents related to on-site sewage disposal systems would remain the same under this bill. In addition, the TNRCC has assumed that fees would increase beginning in fiscal year 1998, as authorized under current law. Amounts currently deposited in the General Revenue Fund would be deposited into the two newly created GR-dedicated accounts. 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 Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from General Revenue New - GR New - GR Fund Dedicated Dedicated Water Occupational Resource Licensing Account Management Account 0001 NEW-DED NEW-DED 1998 ($739,472) $549,625 $189,947 1998 (708,322) 518,375 189,947 2000 (708,322) 518,375 189,947 2001 (708,322) 518,375 189,947 2002 (708,322) 518,375 189,947 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 ($739,472) 1999 (708,322) 2000 (708,322) 2001 (708,322) 2002 (708,322) 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: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,NT