LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 17, 2001 TO: Honorable Tom Ramsay, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB2933 by Chavez (Relating to the regulation of circuses, carnivals, and zoos.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** The bill would require the commissioners court of each county and the governing body of each municipality to designate a local animal authority to enforce regulations of circuses, carnivals, or zoos other than those exempted by Section 2152.002 of the Occupations Code. The provisions of the bill would also set out the responsibilities of the local animal authority, licensing requirements and exemptions for circus, carnival, and zoo operators, and actions that could be taken against violators of governing regulations. The Texas Board of Health (TDH) is responsible for enforcing regulations and issuing licenses for circuses, carnivals, and zoos under the current statute; however, the agency indicates that those entities opt for obtaining a federal license and therefore do not have to seek a state license. TDH has not issued any of these type of licenses in the past 20 years; therefore, shifting the associated responsibilities away from TDH would not have a fiscal impact on the agency or the state. Regulations are already in place and updating those rules would not create a fiscal impact for TDH. Local Government Impact Counties and municipalities would incur minimal costs associated with enforcing regulations. The statute would allow adding the responsibilities of the designated local animal authority to an existing position within the political subdivision; therefore, no new expenses would be incurred for additional salary or related expenses unless a subdivision were to choose to create a separate new position. No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, DB