LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session May 7, 1999 TO: Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs 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 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * SB129, Committee Report 1st 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, SD, TH, CB