LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 18, 1997
TO: Honorable Debra Danburg, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 3332
Committee on Elections By: Gallego
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB3332 ( Relating
to the regulation of certain political contributions, political
expenditures, and political advertising; providing criminal
penalties.) this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB3332-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(223,262) 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.
The bill would provide restrictions on certain
political contributions, political expenditures, and political
advertising and would be administered and enforced by the Ethics
Commission. The bill would require the designation of a principal
campaign committee and provide contribution limits and voluntary
expenditure limits and would require the Commission to revise
filing guides, prescribe a voters guide and prescribe new forms.
Fiscal Analysis
The Ethics Commission estimates that in order to implement and
maintain the changes proposed by this bill, the Commission would
need to hire one additional attorney, one Administrative Technician
III, and one Programmer I. Changes to the Commission's computer
database would need to be programmed.
Methodolgy
The bill would require the Ethics Commission to create new forms,
change existing forms, create new rules, track incoming telephone
and electronic polling scripts and make them available to the
public. The Commission would also be required to process increased
amounts of advisory opinion requests and sworn complaints and
would need to track which candidates have filed a declaration
of compliance, which have filed the intent not to comply, and
which have failed to file any intent. The Commission would
be required to publish a voters guide if funds are available
in the special fund created by this bill, called the Legislative
Fair Campaign Practices Fund. Money deposited to this fund
would need to be tracked. There would also be a one-time cost
for capital equipment associated with the new positions.
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 Change in Number
Savings/(Cost) of State
from General Employees from
Revenue Fund FY 1997
0001
1998 ($121,741) 3.0
1998 (101,521) 3.0
2000 (101,521) 3.0
2001 (101,521) 3.0
2002 (101,521) 3.0
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 ($121,741)
1999 (101,521)
2000 (101,521)
2001 (101,521)
2002 (101,521)
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: 307 Secretary of State
356 Ethics Commission
LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,JC