LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              March 31, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Steven Wolens, Chair, House Committee on State
               Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB86 by Nelson (relating to the protection of
               telecommunications and electric services customers;
               providing penalties), As Engrossed
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-Year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Fundsfor     *
*  SB86, 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, Six-Year Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       1999                                   $0  *
          *       2000                                    0  *
          *       2001                                    0  *
          *       2002                                    0  *
          *       2003                                    0  *
          *       2004                                    0  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Six-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 1998        *
*                0001                 0001                               *
*  1999              $(47,267)              $47,267                  0.0 *
*  2000              (113,442)              113,442                  2.0 *
*  2001              (113,442)              113,442                  1.0 *
*  2002              (100,620)              100,620                  1.0 *
*  2003              (100,620)              100,620                  1.0 *
*  2004              (100,620)              100,620                  1.0 *
**************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would establish specific consumer rights and protections for
utility customers.  One provision of the bill would require the Public
Utility Commission (PUC) to set up and maintain a database of telephone
customers who do not wish to receive telephone solicitations.  Customers
who wish to be included in the database would contact the PUC, and the
PUC would be authorized to levy a fee, not to exceed $5, for their
inclusion in the database.

The bill would become effective immediately upon passage.
  
  
Methodology
  
It is assumed that the PUC would set the fee at a level sufficient to
cover the cost of administering the database.  In addition, it is
estimated that approximately 27,000 people will choose to be included in
the database during the remainder of fiscal year 1999, and that this
number would grow to approximately 216,000 by 2004.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, BB, RT, CB