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