LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session April 8, 1999 TO: Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB 708 by Jackson (Relating to the implementation and financing of approved management plans for designated estuaries of national significance in the state.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * SB708, As Introduced: negative impact of $(5,265,952) 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 Net Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2000 $(2,632,976) * * 2001 (2,632,976) * * 2002 (2,632,976) * * 2003 (2,632,976) * * 2004 (2,632,976) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: *************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State * * Year General Revenue Fund Employees from FY 1999 * * 0001 * * 2000 $(2,632,976) 15.0 * * 2001 (2,632,976) 15.0 * * 2002 (2,632,976) 15.0 * * 2003 (2,632,976) 15.0 * * 2004 (2,632,976) 15.0 * *************************************************************************** Technology Impact The purchase of personal computers would be needed. Fiscal Analysis The bill would designate the Coastal Coordination Council (CCC) as the lead state agency for the implementation of approved National Estuary Program conservation and management plans and provide for implementation programs to receive state funds through a grant program administered by the CCC. The bill would require the participation of seven other state agencies in implementing approved conservation and management plans and would require funding for the implementation of approved plans to be shared by local governments in the area of the estuaries, as well as the state and federal government. Methodology Currently the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) is responsible for oversight for the two estuary programs established in Texas: the Galveston Bay Estuary program and the Coastal Bend Bays (Corpus Christi) program. The level of funding and the FTEs for implementing the bill by the Coastal Coordination Council (CCC) are based on levels identified by the TNRCC as state funds necessary for implementing the two estuary programs for the 2000-01 biennium. Annual funding is estimated to be $1.6 million and 9 FTEs for implementing the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and $1 million and 6 FTEs for implementing the Coastal Bend Bays Plan. The state funds would provide for staff to coordinate and track implementation of the plans and provide seed money to implement the plans. Both plans are expected to receive $260,000 each annually in federal funds. These federal funds are anticipated to require a 25 percent state match. No significant fiscal implication is anticipated from the participation required by the bill from other state agencies. Local Government Impact There would be a fiscal impact on local governments in the areas of the two estuary programs associated with their participation in funding the implementation of their respective estuary programs. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, DE, NS