LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 9, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 184, Committee Report 1st House, as amended
          Committee on Finance                              By: Shapiro
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB184 ( relating 
to a driver's license that authorizes the operation of a motorcycle) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB184-Committee Report 1st House, as amended
         
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 the Transportation Code to increase the 
application, examination, and renewal fees for driver licenses 
that include or add authorization to drive a motorcycle by $5.00.

The 
bill would require the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to 
send to the Comptroller for deposit, to the credit of the Motorcycle 
Education Fund GR-Account 0501, $5 from each of the following 
increased fees:  the fee for renewal of a commercial license 
or learner's permit that includes authorization to operate a 
motorcycle (to $45 from $40); the examination fee for a commercial 
license for additional authorization to operate a motorcycle 
(to $15 from $10); the fee for renewal of a driver license that 
includes authorization to operate a motorcycle (to $21 from 
$16); and the application fee for driver license applicants 
applying for additional authorization to operate a motorcycle 
(to $15 from $10).  

The revenue would be dedicated to defray 
the cost of administering the motorcycle operating training 
and safety program.  The account's unspent and unencumbered 
balance would be appropriated for the motorcycle operator training 
and safety program.  The net gain to the Motorcycle Education 
Fund would allow the Motorcycle Safety Bureau to establish, 
at least, two additional training programs.  In addition, the 
Bureau could fully staff a second mobile training unit to serve 
rural communities.
 
Methodolgy
 
The anticipated revenue gain from the bill each year was determined 
as follows:  There are approximately 25,000 new applicants and 
21,369 Commercial Drivers License applicants for a motorcycle 
license annually that would pay the additional $5.00 that is 
required by the bill.  The net gain to the Motorcycle Education 
Fund would allow the Motorcycle Safety Bureau to establish, 
at least, two additional training programs.  In addition, the 
Bureau could fully staff a second mobile training unit to serve 
the rural communities. 

To implement this additional fee, 
DPS Information Management Service would have to reprogram the 
Distributed Drivers License System computer.  Two contract programmers 
are needed for a four month period to modify the computer system.
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           
            Gain/(Loss) from   Savings/(Cost)                                                             
            Motorcycle         from Motorcycle                                                            
            Education          Education                                                                  
            Account/           Account/                                                                   
            GR-Dedicated       GR-Dedicated                                                               
            0501               0501                                                                        
       1998          $231,845        ($297,876)                                                      
       1998           231,845                 0                                                      
       2000           231,845                 0                                                      
       2001           231,845                 0                                                      
       2002           231,845                 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:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,RR ,RS