LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                            February 26, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Gary Walker, Chair, House Committee on Land &
               Resource Management
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1018 by Denny (Relating to participation of cities and
               counties in the National Flood Insurance Program.), As
               Introduced
  
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*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  HB1018, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(433,994) 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                           $(236,722)  *
          *       2001                            (197,272)  *
          *       2002                            (197,272)  *
          *       2003                            (197,272)  *
          *       2004                            (197,272)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
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*Fiscal    Probable Savings/(Cost) from     Change in Number of State     *
* Year         General Revenue Fund           Employees from FY 1999      *
*                      0001                                               *
*  2000                        $(236,722)                             3.0 *
*  2001                         (197,272)                             3.0 *
*  2002                         (197,272)                             3.0 *
*  2003                         (197,272)                             3.0 *
*  2004                         (197,272)                             3.0 *
***************************************************************************
  
Technology Impact
  
The Full-time Equivalents (FTEs) required to implement the provisions of
the bill would require computers and software at an estimated cost of
$11,400 for fiscal year 2000.
  
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) is designated
as the State Coordinator of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The bill would add 101 additional counties and 396 cities to the
current list of communities which TNRCC assists in qualifying for the
NFIP.  TNRCC anticipates that the additional counties and cities will
require training for participation in the NFIP.
  
  
Methodology
  
Approximately 380 local governments would require intensive and periodic
assistance for participation in the NFIP under the provisions of the
bill.  TNRCC estimates that the bill would result in 100 visits per year
to local governments, 200 community assistance contacts per year, and 15
instructional workshops per year.

This estimate assumes 100 percent participation in the NFIP.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
The bill would require the 101 counties and 396 cities currently not
participating in the NFIP to adopt orders or ordinances for the county or
city to be eligible for NFIP.  This would require local governments to
administer the permitting and inspecting processes of development located
in floodplains and related enforcement.  It also would require the
designation of a floodplain administrator.

Local governments not currently participating in NFIP could incur costs
associated with floodplain administration duties and require additional
staff.  The cost would depend on the size of a city or county and that
entity's climate, landscape and number of developments built in flood
prone areas within its jurisdiction.  The cost would likely be similar to
cities and counties with similar size and characteristics already
participating in NFIP.  Two examples of existing floodplain
administration departments are: Brazoria County with an annual operating
budget of $76,331 and 2 FTEs and Travis County with an annual operating
budget $306,174 and 5.5 FTEs.

Some of the additional costs to local governments could be offset by the
imposition of fees, such as permit application fees and inspection fees.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, DE, DM, TL