LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                            February 22, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Tom Ramsay, Chair, House Committee on County
               Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1362  by Goodman (Relating to the regulation of
               dangerous wild animals; imposing civil and criminal
               penalties.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would set up a new system of regulating dangerous wild animals.
The bill would define an animal registration agency as the city or county
animal control office or county sheriff in an area that does not have an
animal control office. The bill would require a person to obtain a
certificate of registration for dangerous wild animals. The bill would
also authorize each city and county to establish and charge reasonable
fees to pay for the cost of administration and enforcement. Fees could
not exceed $50 per wild animal.  Persons who do not obtain a certificate
of registration would be liable for a civil penalty of not less than $200
and not more than $2,000 for each animal. Counties and cities could sue
to collect the penalty, costs of investigation, and attorney fees. The
bill would take effect September 1, 2001. However a person would not be
required to obtain a certificate of registration for a dangerous wild
animal before June 1, 2002.

Cities, counties and county sheriffs would incur costs from issuing
certificates of registration, conducting inspections, and keeping track
of the sale or death of dangerous wild animals. Cities and counties would
be authorized to charge reasonable fees for application and renewal to
pay the costs of administration and enforcement.

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts contacted the Texas Association
of Counties, the Texas Municipal League, the Sheriffs Association of
Texas, the Texas Department of Health, the counties of Harris and Dallas,
the cities of Austin and Fort Worth, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department for the purpose of estimating the local fiscal impact of the
bill.

Entities contacted indicated there may be some administrative costs that
may not be offset by fees to initially establish the program, but
afterward, operational costs would be recouped by the fees. Most cities
do not allow dangerous wild animals within their city limits; therefore,
cities may not be impacted.
  
  
Source Agencies:   501   Texas Department of Health, 304   Comptroller
                   of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, DB