LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session April 20, 1999 TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair, Senate Committee on Finance FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1841 by Ratliff (relating to the abolition of the Texas Eminent Scholars Program), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would repeal the Texas Eminent Scholars program. Because this program has not been funded by the state since 1984, there is no fiscal implication of repealing the program. If donors request eligible gifts to be returned, institutions of higher education would forfeit the donations. Methodology A survey by the Legislative Budget Board indicates that $201.8 million in eligible gifts have been made through January 1999. The bill would require institutions of higher education to notify each person who made a gift under the Eminent Scholars Program. The person making an eligible gift could request the gift be returned to the person. If all persons making eligible gifts requested their respective gifts be returned, institutions would forfeit $201.8 million. Local Government Impact No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, BB, LD, PF