LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
April 15, 1997
TO: Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 1406
Committee on Natural Resources By: Lucio
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB1406 ( Relating
to the duties and operations of a watermaster's office, reimbursement
of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission for the
compensation and necessary expenses of a watermaster's office
and creation of the watermaster fund.) this office has detemined
the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB1406-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.
Appropriations:
The bill would appropriate the following amounts:
Fiscal Year Appropriation out
of New -
Watermaster Fund
NEW-OTH
1998 $861,000
1999 861,000
Fiscal Analysis
This bill would create a Watermaster Fund, a special fund in
the state treasury, and would appropriate, without further legislative
action, monies deposited in the fund. Watermaster expenses
would be explicitly limited to specified activities. The bill
would specify uses of the fund, provisions for unexpended balances,
deposits to the fund, and would authorize Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to manage the fund. Uses of
the fund would include an appropriation to the TNRCC for indirect
administrative costs, which would be capped at 2-1/2 percent
of fees assessed for water permits.
The bill would make watermasters
directly responsible to the executive director of the TNRCC;
watermasters' duties would be limited to those activities directly
benefiting water rights holders.
The bill would create a
watermaster advisory committee. Duties would include review
and comment on the annual budget of the watermaster operations.
Committee members would not be eligible for reimbursement of
costs incurred as a result of their service on the committee.
Methodolgy
The new Watermaster Fund would consist of the same water use
permit fees as those currently deposited in the General Revenue
Dedicated Water Rights Administration account. According to
the Comptroller's 1998-99 Biennial Revenue Estimate, revenues
to the fund are expected to be $861,000 annually.
The bill
would allow up to $21,525 (2.5 percent) to be used by TNRCC
to defray indirect costs associated with the administration
of the watermaster program. The TNRCC anticipates no change
in the total cost of the watermaster program to result from
implementing the provisions of this bill.
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 Probable Revenue Probable
Gain/(Loss) from Savings/(Cost) Gain/(Loss) from Savings/(Cost)
New - from New - Water Rights from Water
Watermaster Fund Watermaster Fund Administration Rights
Account/ Administration
GR-Dedicated Account/
GR-Dedicated
NEW-OTH NEW-OTH 0158 0158
1998 $861,000 ($861,000) ($861,000) $861,000
1998 861,000 (861,000) (861,000) 861,000
2000 861,000 (861,000) (861,000) 861,000
2001 861,000 (861,000) (861,000) 861,000
2002 861,000 (861,000) (861,000) 861,000
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.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,NT