LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 25, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Ron Wilson, Chair, House Committee on Licensing
               & Administrative Procedures
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB745  by Eiland (Relating to license and renewal fees
               paid by certain licensed professional engineers.), As
               Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB745, As    *
*  Introduced:  positive impact of $3,477,000 through the biennium       *
*  ending August 31, 2001.                                               *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2000                           $1,740,000  *
          *       2001                            1,737,000  *
          *       2002                            1,740,000  *
          *       2003                            1,737,000  *
          *       2004                            1,740,000  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
         *****************************************************
         * Fiscal Year    Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from   *
         *                      General Revenue Fund          *
         *                              0001                  *
         *      2000                               $1,740,000 *
         *      2001                                1,737,000 *
         *      2002                                1,740,000 *
         *      2003                                1,737,000 *
         *      2004                                1,740,000 *
         *****************************************************
  
Technology Impact
  
There would be no technological impact as a result of the bill
  
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
This bill would amend Article 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes, by
repealing Section 13B(c) of the Texas Engineering Practice Act, which
exempts engineers who are employed by a private corporation, privately
owned utility or cooperative utility and disabled professional engineers
from paying a $200 fee required by Section 13B(a) of the Act.  The
effective date of the proposed legislation is September 1, 1999.
  
  
Methodology
  
The Board of Registration for Professional Engineers' estimates that this
bill would impact a total of 10,480 engineers who are currently exempt
but who would be required under this bill to pay the $200 registration
fee required by Section 13B(a) of the Texas Engineering Practice Act.
Using previous fee increases as a guide, the agency assumes that
approximately 1,580 engineers would no longer choose to register as a
result of this bill.

As a result, a total of 8,900 licensed engineers who are currently exempt
from registration under Section 20(e) or (f) and Section 13(e), but have
maintained their licenses, will be subject to paying the $200 fee
required by Section 13B(a) of the Act.  This increase in revenue would
be slightly offset due to the loss of the annual renewal fee currently
paid by the 1,580 engineers who are expected to drop their licenses
under the bill.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   460   Bd Reg Profess Engineers, 304   Comptroller Of
                   Pub Accts
LBB Staff:         JK, TH, RT