LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 11, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Teel Bivins, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 963
          Committee on Education                              By: Shapiro
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB963 ( Relating 
to the testing of natural gas piping systems in school district 
facilities.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB963-As Introduced
         
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
         

         
 
          
Fiscal implications to units of local government are described 
below.

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require school districts 
to perform pressure tests of natural gas piping systems each 
year before school begins.  The bill would require school districts 
to provide notice of the date and result of each pressure test 
to the company supplying natural gas to the district. The Railroad 
Commission staff would be required, upon request of a school 
district, to assist in developing procedures for testing.

Methodology

It 
is estimated that costs to local school districts to perform 
such tests would be between $250-500 per facility.  The Texas 
Education Agency estimates that there are 6,932 school district 
campuses that would be required to conduct the test.

Fiscal 
Implications

The estimated cost for all school districts 
combined to conduct the testing required by the bill would range 
between $1,733,000 and $3,466,000 per year.  Costs to individual 
school districts would depend upon the number of facilities 
and current market rate for qualified individual to perform 
the tests.

Fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   701   Texas Education Agency - Administration
                                         455   Railroad Commission
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,LP ,DH