LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  May 16, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Fred Hill, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 371, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
          Committee on Urban Affairs                              By: Armbrister
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB371 ( Relating 
to the continuation and functions of the Texas Commission on 
Fire Protection.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB371-Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted   FN Revision 1
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
positive impact of $60,000 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 continues the agency for 12 years; adds public members 
to the Commission on Fire Protection; removes the Commission's 
responsibility to perform Key Rate inspections; combines the 
paid and volunteer fire fighter certification program; strengthens 
the Commission's rulemaking ability; sets the date for the next 
Sunset review as September 1, 2009; and makes statutory modifications 
recommended by the Sunset Advisory Commission.
 
Methodolgy
 
The bill would eliminate the Key Rate Schedule; this is consistent 
with the General Appropriation bill as introduced.  Eliminating 
the employment requirement for recertification of paid fire 
fighters would result in an annual increase in application and 
issuance of 1,500 fire fighting certificates at $20 each, providing 
additional revenue of $30,000 each year of the biennium.  It 
is estimated that, decreasing the cap of certain renewal fees 
from $500 to $250 would affect approximately 11 licensees, providing 
a decrease to GR-Dedicated (036) of $2,750 per year.
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   
            Gain/(Loss) from   Gain/(Loss) from                                                           
            General Revenue    Texas Department                                                           
            Fund               of Insurance                                                               
                               Operating                                                                  
                               Account/                                                                   
                               GR-Dedicated                                                               
            0001               0036                                                                        
       1998           $30,000          ($2,750)                                                      
       1998            30,000           (2,750)                                                      
       2000            30,000           (2,750)                                                      
       2001            30,000           (2,750)                                                      
       2002            30,000           (2,750)                                                      
 
 
         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              $30,000
               1999               30,000
               2000               30,000
               2001               30,000
               2002               30,000
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government 
is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   411   Commission on Fire Protection
                                         304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         116   Sunset Advisory Commission
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,TL ,AM