LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  May 15, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Fred M. Bosse, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 1339, Committee Report 2nd House, as amended
          Committee on Land and Resource Management                              By: Patterson, Jerry
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB1339 ( Relating 
to coastal erosion.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB1339-Committee Report 2nd House, as amended
         
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
 
The bill would create the Coastal Erosion Response Fund in the 
State Treasury to receive all money appropriated and revenue 
collected for use in erosion response activities.  Revenue from 
two new sources would be deposited to the fund:  a $1 dollar 
surcharge on each Texas windstorm and hail insurance and Texas 
fire and explosion insurance issued through the Texas Catastrophe 
Property Insurance Association (TCPIA), and sales of specially-designed 
"Don't Mess with Texas Beaches" license plates ($25 per plate). 
 The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) could charge 
a fee of up to five dollars per license plate to defray costs. 
 
 
Methodolgy
 
The TCPIA provided information on the number of policies that 
would be subject to the surcharge.  The estimated income from 
license plates is derived from information obtained from the 
Comptroller of Public Accounts, the General Land Office and 
TxDOT.  No data were available on which to base an estimate 
of fleet sales (50 or more) at $15 per plate, so the license 
plate income reflects sale of individual plates only.  

Costs 
to TxDOT include programming costs in fiscal year 1998, as well 
as an initial cost to process, manufacture and distribute new 
plates ($8.24 per plate).  This estimate assumes that TxDOT 
would charge the maximum allowable fee and that all costs and 
revenue will be attributed to the State Highway Fund.  

Costs 
and revenues were adjusted to reflect program start-up time 
in fiscal year 1998.  Although no expenditures are shown from 
the new fund, it would be expected that available revenue would 
fund coastal erosion response activities and local assistance 
grants.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions 
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage 
are estimated as follows:  
 
Five Year Impact:
 
Fiscal Year Probable Revenue   Probable Revenue   Probable           
            Gain/(Loss) from   Gain/(Loss) from   Savings/(Cost)                                          
            New - Coastal      State Highway Fund from State                                              
            Erosion Response                      Highway Fund                                            
            Fund                                                                                          
            NEW-OTH            0006               0006                                                     
       1998          $103,000            $6,000         ($28,900)                                    
       1998           135,500            12,500           (2,100)                                    
       2000           138,000            13,000           (2,100)                                    
       2001           140,500            13,500           (2,200)                                    
       2002           143,000            14,000           (2,300)                                    
 


 
         Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
 

 
              Fiscal Year      Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
                               General Revenue Related Funds
                                             Funds
               1998                   $0
               1999                    0
               2000                    0
               2001                    0
               2002                    0
 
          
Based on balances in the Coastal Erosion Response Fund, units 
of local governmental could apply for and receive grant funding 
to conduct erosion response activities.  Grant funding could 
be used as a match in seeking other funding, however, the GLO 
may establish cost share requirements for any proposed project 
or grant.

Local governments may lose certain property from 
their tax rolls to the Permanent School Fund if the property 
becomes submerged due to erosion.

          
   Source:            Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         305   General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board
                                         454   Department of Insurance
                                         601   Department of Transportation
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,BB ,NT