LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                             February 2, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Tom Ramsay, Chair, House Committee on County
               Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB192  by Burnam (Relating to the fee charged for food
               service establishment permits and health inspections.),
               As Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would authorize counties with a population of at least one
million or a public health district that a portion or all of which is in
a county with a population of at least one million to charge a fee for
issuing or renewing a permit or for performing an inspection to enforce
Chapter 437 Health and Safety Code rules.  The statute limits the amount
of the fees to allow the county to recover up to 50 percent of the annual
expenditures for processing permits and conducting inspections, although
the fees cannot exceed $300.

The bill would also authorize counties with a population of at least one
million to require a trained food manager to be on duty during each day
of operation of a food service establishment.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2001.

Eligible counties and public health districts would experience a revenue
gain that would offset at least half of their expenses related to each
identified responsibility or $300 per permit or inspection, whichever is
less.  Counties that would be eligible are Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, and
Harris.  Harris County is already eligible under current statutes and
charges fees of $250.
  
  
Source Agencies:   501   Texas Department of Health
LBB Staff:         JK, DB, HD