LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 12, 2001
TO: Honorable Bob Turner, Chair, House Committee on Public
Safety
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB1471 by Turner, Bob (Relating to the emergency highway
call box system.), As Introduced
**************************************************************************
* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB1471, As Introduced: negative impact of $(38,667,286) 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. *
**************************************************************************
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(17,985,362) *
* 2003 (20,681,924) *
* 2004 (23,378,486) *
* 2005 (26,075,048) *
* 2006 (28,771,611) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* General Revenue Fund *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $(17,985,362) *
* 2003 (20,681,924) *
* 2004 (23,378,486) *
* 2005 (26,075,048) *
* 2006 (28,771,611) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to implement a call box program
along roads that are part of the state highway system other than
farm-to-market or ranch-to-market roads. The bill would require TxDOT to
award one or more contracts to implement the system no later than June
1, 2002 and that installation would have to begin no later than September
1, 2002 in each area of the state with cellular telephone service. The
bill would require TxDOT to use funds deposited to the credit of the
General Revenue Fund 0001 for the implementation, operation, and
maintenance of the call box system. The bill would delete Section
226.004 of the Transportation Code, which requires the existing program
to be funded from public or private entities. The bill would require
TxDOT to submit a report concerning program activities to the Lieutenant
Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
Legislative Budget Board by November 1 of each year.
The bill would provide a sunset provision to make the program expire,
unless reauthorized, on September 1, 2011.
This bill would take effect September 1, 2001.
Methodology
TxDOT estimates that placing an emergency call box every two miles along
the state highway system would require installing 19,110 units. The
agency estimates that 3,822 units would be installed each year for five
years. Assumptions in estimating the cost include a cost of $4,000 per
box; a 7 percent knockdown rate with a repair cost of $1,250 per
knockdown; annual air-time costs of $120 per box; a 6 percent vandalism
rate with a cost of $300 per vandalized unit; maintenance costs of $300
per unit; and call answering contract costs of $180 per box based on $3
per call at 60 calls per year. TxDOT estimates approximately $17.9
million would be realized in installation, operation, and maintenance
costs in fiscal year 2002 and that similar costs would continue to
increase by approximately $2.7 million in each year through fiscal year
2006. The agency estimates annual maintenance and operation costs would
be approximately $13.5 million in each subsequent year.
Local Government Impact
The bill would require local governmental authorities to support
statewide public relations efforts with local media. Support would vary
by units of local government depending on the size of the area to be
covered by a public relations campaign and what the media campaign
developed by TxDOT would involve. It should be possible for the campaign
to be developed as public service announcements, which would mean no
costs to the local governments if TxDOT provides the radio, television,
and newspaper announcements. If, however, the local government entities
must develop the announcements, they would incur production costs that
would vary by media market.
The bill would also require the Commission on State Emergency
Communications (CSEC) to coordinate with local councils of government
(COGs) and 9-1-1 districts for the operation and maintenance of the
emergency response system. The cost would vary by COG and district
depending on existing equipment, system, and service ability in the
area; level of need within each COG region or 9-1-1 district; and, level
of involvement by local government expected by CSEC.
Source Agencies: 477 Commission on State Emergency Communications,
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 601 Texas
Department of Transportation
LBB Staff: JK, JC, MW, DB