LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 22, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable David Sibley, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 643
          Committee on Economic Development                              By: Galloway, Michael
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB643 ( Relating 
to the experience rate applicable to certain successor employers 
for contributions under the unemployment compensation system.) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB643-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
 
Under current statute, successor employers do not have a new 
tax rate calculated in the year of acquisition since they are 
already experience rated.  This bill would amend Section 204.085 
of the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act to require the calculation 
of an interim tax rate for all successor employers in the year 
of the acquisition where transfer of compensation experience 
is mandatory.  The bill would also allow certain employers that 
are taxed for unemployment compensation contributions to apply 
to the Texas Workforce Commission between September 1, 1997 
and December 31, 1997 for a recomputation of their experience 
rate.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, Unemployment 
Insurance Federal Funds costs to implement the provisions of 
the bill would be $194,664 in FY 1998 and $29,464 per year thereafter. 
 These costs include one new FTE, an Accounts Examiner, to process 
the tax rate calculations and answer questions raised due to 
the additional interim rate.  FY 1998 costs include start-up 
costs to re-program the existing tax rate calculation to provide 
for an interim calculation, training for home office and field 
office staff to properly analyze the interim tax rate computations, 
and printing , mailing, and processing costs for new application 
forms and additional tax notices.  
 
Methodolgy
 
Costs to Federal Fund Account 5026 were based upon the following 
assumptions:

(1) Costs to re-program the existing tax rate 
calculation to provide for an interim calculation would be $25,000 
in FY 1998.

(2) Training for home office and field office 
staff to properly analyze the interim tax rate computations 
would cost $131,200 in FY 1998 (328 FTEs * 16 hours of training 
* $25/hour).
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 Workforce     Employees from                                                             
            Commission         FY 1997                                                                    
            Federal Account                                                                               
            - Federal                                                                                     
            5026                                                                                           
       1998        ($194,664)               1.0                                                      
       1998          (29,464)               1.0                                                      
       2000          (29,464)               1.0                                                      
       2001          (29,464)               1.0                                                      
       2002          (29,464)               1.0                                                      
 
 
         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.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   TH ,BK