LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                               May 12, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair, Senate Committee on Finance
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HJR4 by Kuempel (proposing a constitutional amendment to
               authorize the exemption of property owned by institutions
               of public charity, as defined by general law, from ad
               valorem taxation), As Engrossed
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated,        *
*  other than the cost of publication.The cost to the state for          *
*  publication of the resolution is $76,352.                             *
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If enabling legislation for this proposed amendment were enacted, there
could be a fiscal impact on the state and local governments.  The term
"purely public charity" limits qualification for property tax exemptions
to a narrowly defined group of organizations, as defined by the
Legislature and the courts.  Expanding the universe of organizations
could result in decreases in taxable value to local governments and
increases in state costs for funding public education.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, BB, BR