LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session March 13, 2001 TO: Honorable David Swinford, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB2242 by Hardcastle (Relating to Attorney General providing services to conservation districts.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB2242, As Introduced: negative impact of $(731,100) 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 $(384,700) * * 2003 (346,400) * * 2004 (346,400) * * 2005 (346,400) * * 2006 (346,400) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: *************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State * * Year General Revenue Fund Employees from FY 2001 * * 0001 * * 2002 $(384,700) 6.0 * * 2003 (346,400) 6.0 * * 2004 (346,400) 6.0 * * 2005 (346,400) 6.0 * * 2006 (346,400) 6.0 * *************************************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would provide that soil and water conservation districts may call upon the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to provide legal services to the districts when the districts have exceeded 25 percent of their financial resources to enforce flood easements held by the districts. Methodology Based on information the OAG obtained from the Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board, there are 750-1400 earthen dams in the state with potential easement problems. Based on the level of legal activity regarding these dams reported by the Soil and Water Conservation Board, the OAG estimates that they would need three additional attorneys, two legal support staff, and one legal secretary to meet the projected demand for legal services. Additionally, there would be related costs for equipment, operations, and contracted services of an engineer for technical advice. Local Government Impact Conservation districts would experience a savings on legal services in direct proportion to expenditures by the Office of the Attorney General for providing services to the districts. Source Agencies: 302 Office of the Attorney General LBB Staff: JK, CL, DB, SC