LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                               May 11, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on
               State Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1544  by Haggerty (Relating to registration of
               engineering firms and to the publication by the Texas
               Board of Professional Engineers of a roster of engineers
               and engineering firms.), As Engrossed
  
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*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  HB1544, As Engrossed:  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:
  
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*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             $(125,554)             $125,554                  1.0 *
*  2001              (109,554)              109,554                  1.0 *
*  2002              (109,554)              109,554                  1.0 *
*  2003              (109,554)              109,554                  1.0 *
*  2004              (109,554)              109,554                  1.0 *
**************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would amend Article 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes (the
Texas Engineering Practice Act), by requiring that firms, partnerships,
corporations and joint stock associations engaged in the practice of
professional engineering register with the Board of Professional
Engineers.  The registration would be on an annual basis and would
include payment of a fee not to exceed $100.

The bill would take effect September 1, 1999.
  
  
Methodology
  
The Board of Registration for Professional Engineers estimates that about
7,000 Texas firms and 1,000 out-of-state firms will be required to
register and pay a registration fee.  It is assumed the Board would set
the annual fee at a level to offset the cost of the additional personnel
needed to implement the provision of the bill.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, SD, TH