LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 21, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Ron Wilson, Chair, House Committee on Licensing
               & Administrative Procedures
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2155  by Yarbrough (relating to the creation and
               operation of the Texas State Board of Mechanical
               Industries and the regulation of plumbing and mechanical
               laws and programs by that board; providing penalties),
               Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would create the "Texas State Board of Mechanical Industries",
and would shift regulatory responsibilities for several programs to the
new agency.  All functions of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
(TSBPE) would be transferred to the new agency, and the TSBPE would be
abolished.  Regulatory responsibilities for air conditioning and
refrigeration contractors would be transferred from the Texas Department
of Licensing and Regulation, and responsibility for the regulation of
irrigators would be transferred from the Texas Natural Resources
Conservation Commission.  Two advisory committees would be abolished,
including the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Advisory
Board and the Texas Irrigators Advisory Council.  New advisory committees
would be created on each of the following:  plumbing; irrigation; air
conditioning and refrigeration; and backflow prevention.

It is assumed that resources could be transferred between affected
agencies as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TH, CB