LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  March 26, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 432, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
          Committee on State Affairs                              By: Lucio
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB432 ( relating 
to the regulation and operation of bingo.) this office has detemined 
the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB432-Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
negative impact of $(52,071,722) 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 transfer charitable bingo regulation from the 
Texas Lottery Commission to the Texas Commission of Licensing 
and Regulation (commission), effective September 1, 1997, and 
would apply to games played, sessions conducted, and prizes 
awarded on or after that date.  In addition, the bill would 
repeal the remittance of bingo fees or taxes, reducing revenues 
collected by the state.  However, reports detailing bingo fee 
receipts would be filed quarterly with the Comptroller of Public 
Accounts and the commission would be required to adopt rules 
for the payment of bingo fees or taxes.

The bill also modifies 
or places limitations on allowable prize amounts, bingo site 
rental amounts, license suspension authority and disposition 
of a license in the case of licensee death.  The bill also reduces 
the fee that would be charged for a license amendment from $25 
to $10, resulting in reduced revenues to the state.  
 
Methodolgy
 
The estimated fiscal impact of the bill is based on historical 
and projected data for bingo revenues as provided in the 1998-99 
Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE).  While the bill would provide 
for the development of new commission rules to govern the payment 
of fees and taxes in the future, a general revenue loss of approximately 
$26.2 million per year is estimated due to the elimination of 
existing statutory language that would make fees and taxes reported 
rather than due and payable. Adjustments to the BRE were also 
made to account for the reduction in bingo sessions by licensed 
operators and for the $150 reduction in the maximum lessor rent 
charged per bingo session.  The comptroller would also require 
additional staff, equipment, and contract programmers to handle 
the increased workload for processing activities, taxpayer services 
and for automated system enhancements. 
 
The probable fiscal 
implications of implementing the provisions of the bill during 
each of the first five years following passage is estimated 
as follows:
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           Change in Number   
            Gain/(Loss) from   Gain/(Loss) from   Savings/(Cost)     of State                             
            General Revenue    General Revenue    from General       Employees from                       
            Fund: State Share  Fund: Local Share  Revenue Fund:      FY 1997                              
                                                  Administrative                                          
                                                  Cost                                                    
            0001               0001               0001                                                     
       1998     ($13,668,000)     ($12,437,000)          $616,968               3.0                  
       1998      (13,986,000)      (12,748,000)           150,310               4.0                  
       2000      (14,311,000)      (13,066,000)           150,423               4.0                  
       2001      (14,625,000)      (13,374,000)           146,943               4.0                  
       2002      (14,940,000)      (13,682,000)           154,541               4.0                  
 
 
         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        ($25,488,032)
               1999         (26,583,690)
               2000         (27,226,577)
               2001         (27,852,057)
               2002         (28,467,459)
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
The fiscal implication to units of local government is included 
in the table above.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,JD ,PH