LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session March 22, 1999 TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1309 by Thompson (Relating to the regulation of private process servers; providing penalties), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB1309, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: positive impact * * of $0 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 $0 * * 2001 0 * * 2002 0 * * 2003 0 * * 2004 0 * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Probable Revenue Change in Number of * * Year Savings/(Cost) from Gain/(Loss) from State Employees from * * General Revenue Fund General Revenue Fund FY 1999 * * 0001 0001 * * 2000 $(121,684) $121,684 3.0 * * 2001 (101,684) 101,684 3.0 * * 2002 (101,684) 101,684 3.0 * * 2003 (101,684) 101,684 3.0 * * 2004 (101,684) 101,684 3.0 * ************************************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would require the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to license private process servers, and to register agents of the private process servers. The bill would provide the commissioner of licensing and regulation with the authority to adopt rules, set insurance coverage requirements, and deny, suspend, or revoke a license or registration. The bill would authorize the Department to collect application and license fees for license and registration applicants. Methodology It is assumed that 900 licensees and 1,500 registered agents would submit applications in the first two years, and that license terms would be staggered in the first two years in order to balance revenues. This analysis estimates that the department would require one investigator for related complaint investigations, one administrative technician for investigations support, and one administrative technician for application, licensing, and registration processing. It is assumed that the department would set fees at a level to cover all related costs Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, PE, CB