LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 2, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable David Sibley, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 932
          Committee on Economic Development                              By: Sibley
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB932 ( Relating 
to abolishing the Texas Department of Commerce and transferring 
its powers and duties to the newly created Texas Department 
of Economic Development and Tourism and to certain other economic 
development programs in the state.) this office has detemined 
the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB932-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 abolish the Texas Department of Commerce (TDOC) 
and create the Texas Department of Economic Development and 
Tourism (TDEDT).  The bill would privatize two TDOC programs; 
the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Centers (TMAC) and the Capital 
Certified Development Corporation (CCDC).  The bill requires 
the CCDC be privatized by December 1, 1997 and the TMAC to be 
privatized by September 1, 1999.

This bill would transfer 
TDOC powers and duties to TDEDT.  The bill would also delete 
several provisions of the TDOC enabling statues which were never 
funded by the legislature.  

This bill would take effect 
September 1, 1997. 
 
Methodolgy
 
It has been determined that the new agency would carry out its 
duties to a large extent within the funding level currently 
appropriated to the Department of Commerce.  The fiscal impact 
of the bill is estimated by calculating savings derived from 
transferring the Capital Certified Development Corporation and 
the Texas Manufacturing Institute programs to the private sector 
without providing the current level of state funds for the operation 
of the programs.  The analysis assumes the state matching funds 
for the Texas Manufacturing Institute would be raised by the 
private entity and there would be a savings of 15 FTEs beginning 
in 2000 from the two programs.
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           Probable           Change in Number   
            Savings/(Cost)     Savings/(Cost)     of State                                                
            from General       from Rural         Employees from                                          
            Revenue Fund       Economic           FY 1997                                                 
                               Development                                                                
                               Account/                                                                   
                               GR-Dedicated                                                               
            0001               0425                                                                        
       1998                $0                $0               0.0                                    
       1998                 0                 0               0.0                                    
       2000         2,962,257           195,196            (15.0)                                    
       2001         2,962,257           195,196            (15.0)                                    
       2002         2,962,257           195,196            (15.0)                                    
 
 
         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            2,962,257
               2001            2,962,257
               2002            2,962,257
 
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:   465   Department of Commerce
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   TH ,JK ,CG