LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 25, 2001
TO: Honorable Bob Turner, Chair, House Committee on Public
Safety
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2204 by Gutierrez (relating to the safety of
bicyclists and pedestrians; providing criminal
penalties), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB2204, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: negative impact *
* of $(225,615) 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:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(146,699) *
* 2003 (78,916) *
* 2004 (68,916) *
* 2005 (68,916) *
* 2006 (68,916) *
****************************************************
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 $9,750 $(156,449) 1.0 *
* 2003 9,750 (88,666) 1.0 *
* 2004 9,750 (78,666) 1.0 *
* 2005 9,750 (78,666) 1.0 *
* 2006 9,750 (78,666) 1.0 *
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Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to create
and maintain a statewide program and database related to bicycle safety
training, bicyclist violations, and the ability to receive notice of a
deferred disposition of violations against bicyclists. The bill would
allow DPS to charge a fee not to exceed $15 for the bicycle safety course
to be used to defray costs of administration.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2001.
Methodology
Based on revised DPS estimates regarding the implementation of a bicycle
safety training program, the bill would require one additional employee
to work with educational service centers in the development of programs
that meet the requirements of the bill. Salary costs are estimated to be
$37,812 each fiscal year with associated benefits amounting to $10,693
each fiscal year. Travel and other operating expenses would amount to
$10,161 each year. The program would have other costs related to
production of printed materials and training supplies. These other costs
are estimated to be $26,365 in fiscal year 2002, $30,000 in fiscal year
2003 and $20,000 each fiscal year thereafter. The higher expenses in
fiscal years 2002 and 2003 are the result of the production of one-time
supplies such as posters, brochures, curriculum booklets for use by the
various classrooms.
DPS estimates that there would be several one-time expenses related to
contract programming to build the database at $63,360, and the purchase
of computer hardware, software, and other equipment at $8,058.
Finally, DPS is authorized to charge a fee not to exceed $15 to defray
cost of administration. Although there is no source which might provide
the number of people who may be eligible for the bicycle education
program, an estimate can be made. The Department of Public Safety has
3,229 commissioned officers who between them wrote 24 tickets for
traffic offenses committed by bicyclists in fiscal year 2000. The
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education estimates
that there are approximately 87,500 commissioned officers in Texas, thus
through extrapolation it is estimated that 650 tickets would be written
annually. Assuming all the ticketed individuals participate in the
education program, and the fee is set at the maximum, $9,750 would be
generated each fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
No significant 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