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 ************************************************************************** * No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** 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