LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
May 7, 2001
TO: Honorable Irma Rangel, Chair, House Committee on Higher
Education
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB140 by Wise (Relating to reimbursing veterans for the
cost of required textbooks and similar required course
materials.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB140, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: negative impact *
* of $(1,388,800) through the biennium ending August 31, 2003. *
* *
* The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal *
* basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of *
* the bill. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(694,400) *
* 2003 (694,400) *
* 2004 (694,400) *
* 2005 (694,400) *
* 2006 (694,400) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* General Revenue Fund *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $(694,400) *
* 2003 (694,400) *
* 2004 (694,400) *
* 2005 (694,400) *
* 2006 (694,400) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill requires higher education institutions to reimburse military
veterans who receive tuition exemptions under Section 54.203 of the
Education Code for the cost of required textbooks and materials.
Participants must be enrolled for at least 12 semester credit hours
during the semester during which the books were purchased, and the books
must be turned in to the institution for resale at the end of the
semester.
Methodology
This analysis assumes an effective date of September 1, 2001.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) estimates that the
number of qualified veterans annually is 9,917. Of this amount, it is
preseumed that ten percent will participate. The estimated average
value of books and required course materials is $700. This translates
into a general revenue cost of $694,400 (992 veterans participating X
$700 annual average book cost per veteran).
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 781 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
LBB Staff: JK, CT, KC