LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                               May 19, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Ron Wilson, Chair, House Committee on Licensing
               & Administrative Procedures
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB129  by Brown, J. E. "Buster" (relating to the
               regulation of professional geoscientists; providing
               penalties), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB129, Committee Report 2nd 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 New State Employees from  *
*         New - Professional     - Professional           FY 1999        *
*           Geoscientists'        Geoscientists                          *
*             Account (GR          Account (GR                           *
*             Dedicated)           Dedicated)                            *
*  2000           $(1,200,000)           $1,200,000                 15.0 *
*  2001            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
*  2002            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
*  2003            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
*  2004            (1,000,000)            1,000,000                 15.0 *
**************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would create a nine-member Texas Board of Professional
Geoscientists.  The bill would allow the board to adopt and enforce
rules, administer examinations, issue licenses, impose administrative
penalties for violations, and perform other duties to administer the
provisions of the bill.

The bill would allow the board to set fees "reasonable and necessary" to
offset the expenses incurred in administering the provisions of the
bill.  The bill would create the Professional Geoscientists' Fund
Account, a dedicated account within the General Revenue Fund.
  
  
Methodology
  
It is estimated that a staff of approximately 15 full-time equivalents
(FTEs) plus associated operating costs would be required to administer
the provisions of the bill.  This estimate is based on the assumption
that approximately 10,000 professionals in the field of geoscience would
apply for licensure.  It is assumed that the board would set fees at a
rate sufficient to cover the cost of administration.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller Of Pub Accts
LBB Staff:         JK, TH, SD, CB