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
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* 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. *
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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) *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*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 *
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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