LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  February 10, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable David Sibley, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 206
          Committee on Economic Development                              By: Madla
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
         In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB206 ( Relating to 
         licensing requirements for certain insurance agents.) this office has detemined 
         the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB206-As Introduced
         
             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
 
This bill would amend Articles 21.02, 21.07, 21.09, and 21.14 of the Texas Insurance Code.  
The bill would require that 07-00 license holders (State Salaried Special Agent or Travel 
Baggage Agent) pay an agent license fee of $50 for new licenses and $48 for renewal 
licenses.  Currently, these agents are exempt from paying licensing fees.
 
Methodolgy
 
Article 21.07, Insurance Code would be amended to require that each officer or employee 
of any insurance company licensed to do business in Texas who negotiates or solicits any 
type of insurance on behalf of that company must be individually licensed.  The Article 
would be amended to establish that a person negotiates or solicits insurance if that person 
makes an oral, written, or electronic communication to another person regarding insurance 
coverage, rates, benefits, or policy terms for the purpose of soliciting insurance.

Per the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), any additional workload required to implement 
this bill would be addressed with existing agency resources.  However, the bill would create 
a revenue gain for the state.  TDI assumes that 50% of the 4,692 agents registered in TDI FY 
1996 Licensing Database with 07-00 licenses (State Salaried Special Agent or Travel Baggage 
Agent) would not apply due to cancellations, expirations, and multiple licenses.  The estimated 
2,346 that would apply would need to file new applications costing $50/each, creating a 
revenue gain of $117,300 in the fiscal year 1998.  Renewal applications costing $48/each 
would be filed every two years after fiscal year 1998, creating a revenue gain of $112,608 
in those years.  TDI used actual license fees as stated in the Texas Administrative Code, 
Title 28, Section 19.802 to arrive at these revenue gains. 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   
            Gain/(Loss) from                                                                              
            Texas Department                                                                              
            of Insurance                                                                                  
            Operating                                                                                     
            Account/                                                                                      
            GR-Dedicated                                                                                  
            0036                                                                                           
       1998          $117,300                                                                        
       1998                 0                                                                        
       2000           112,608                                                                        
       2001                 0                                                                        
       2002           112,608                                                                        
 
         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:   452   Department of Licensing and Regulation
                                         454   Department of Insurance
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,TH ,BK