LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
February 21, 2001
TO: Honorable Bob Turner, Chair, House Committee on Public
Safety
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB335 by West, George "Buddy" (Relating to the creation
of a historical museum and research center regarding
certain law enforcement matters.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB335, As Introduced: positive impact of $35,698 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:
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* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(198,346) *
* 2003 234,044 *
* 2004 190,450 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 0 *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Revenue Probable Change in Number of *
* Year Gain/(Loss) from Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from *
* General Revenue Fund General Revenue Fund FY 2001 *
* 0001 0001 *
* 2002 $311,178 $(509,524) 1.0 *
* 2003 311,178 (77,134) 2.0 *
* 2004 311,178 (120,728) 3.0 *
* 2005 311,178 (311,178) 3.0 *
* 2006 311,178 (311,178) 3.0 *
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Technology Impact
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has identified that implementing
the bill would require 3,168 hours of contract programming at $120 per
hour to make the Distributive Driver License (DDL) system capable of
accepting and accounting for the new fee established by the bill, to
modify existing programs in DPS' Fund Accounting system, and to effect
the transfer of these funds to the Comptroller's Office. Since the bill
would create an interactive facility and research center, some funding
would be necessary for the hardware and software needed to create this
center.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to create a
historical museum and research center with an interactive facility to
educate young people about law enforcement. The bill would require DPS
to employ a historian, librarian, and other personnel to administer the
center. The bill would create a $1 voluntary fee that individuals could
contribute to when applying for the issuance or renewal of a license.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2001.
Methodology
The bill would authorize a $1 fee to be collected by DPS. A similar
voluntary contribution relating to Blindness Education received $777,945
in fiscal year 2000. A second voluntary program created in 1999
(Anatomical Gift Education Program) has yet to be implemented by the
Department. Thus this bill would create a third voluntary fee and it is
assumed that these programs would compete to some degree with each other
for the voluntary contributions. Were a contribution to one of these
programs to exclude the capability of making contributions to the other
programs it could be assumed that one-third of the $777,945 would be
split among all three programs, however the purpose for this new fee is
certain to attract a new class of contributors, therefore, it is assumed
that this fee will generate 40 percent of the $777,945 or $311,178 each
fiscal year.
DPS indicates it would hire a clerk to track this fee, and then at some
point in the future as the balance from this fee accumulates would hire
the historian, librarian, and other personnel necessary to administer the
center. It is assumed that the clerk would be hired in fiscal year 2002
and the historian and librarian would be hired in fiscal years 2003 and
2004 respectively. In fiscal year 2005 and each year thereafter it is
assumed that the costs of the program would equal the revenue generated
for the program as DPS expands the interactive facility and provides new
exhibits and lectures in this facility.
The contract programming necessary to update the DDL is estimated to cost
$390,160 in fiscal year 2002 only. The cost for the hardware and
software for this facility is estimated to cost $85,824 in fiscal year
2002 only. Employee benefits would cost the state $6,285 in fiscal year
2002, $15,697 in fiscal year 2003, and $25,109 in fiscal year 2004 and
each year thereafter.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 405 Texas
Department of Public Safety
LBB Staff: JK, JC, DG