LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session Revision 1 May 2, 2001 TO: Honorable David Counts, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB3111 by Zbranek (Relating to occupational licenses and registrations issued by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB3111, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: There should be * * no significant fiscal impact to General Revenue related funds * * 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 Net Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2002 $(74,078) * * 2003 (74,078) * * 2004 (74,078) * * 2005 (74,078) * * 2006 (74,078) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: *************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Probable Probable Probable * * Year Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue * * Gain/(Loss) Gain/(Loss) Gain/(Loss) Gain/(Loss) * * from General from Clean Air from Water from Waste * * Revenue Fund Account/ Resource Management * * 0001 GR-Dedicated Management/ Account/ * * 0151 GR-Dedicated GR-Dedicated * * 0153 0549 * * 2002 $(74,078) $(32,479) $(404,760) $(183,521) * * 2003 (74,078) (32,479) (404,760) (183,521) * * 2004 (74,078) (32,479) (404,760) (183,521) * * 2005 (74,078) (32,479) (404,760) (183,521) * * 2006 (74,078) (32,479) (404,760) (183,521) * *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) * * Year from TNRCC Occupational from TNRCC Occupational * * Licensing/ GR-Dedicated Licensing/ GR-Dedicated * * 0468 0468 * * 2002 $694,838 $(30,000) * * 2003 694,838 (30,000) * * 2004 694,838 (30,000) * * 2005 694,838 (30,000) * * 2006 694,838 (30,000) * *************************************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would require the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to establish requirements and uniform procedures for issuing licenses and registrations for occupational licensing programs. Those uniform procedures and requirements would be provided for in a new chapter in the Water Code, Chapter 37. All occupational licensing fees collected by the TNRCC under the new Chapter 37 would be deposited to the General Revenue-dedicated Occupational Licensing Account No. 468. The bill also would exempt geoscientists from TNRCC fees. Methodology Currently, occupational licensing fees collected by the TNRCC are deposited to the General Revenue Fund and four separate General Revenue-dedicated Accounts: the Clean Air Account No. 151; the Water Resource Management Account No. 153; the Occupational Licensing Account No. 468; and the Waste Management Account No. 549. Upon passage of the bill, all such fees would be deposited to the Occupational Licensing Account No. 468. The increase in revenue to the Occupational Licensing Account No. 468 would be equal to the decrease in revenues to the General Revenue Fund and three remaining General Revenue-dedicated accounts, as shown in the tables above. Currently there are approximately 400 geoscientists registered by the TNRCC who pay a $150 licensing fee every two years deposited to the credit of GR Account TNRCC Occupational Licensing Account No. 468. It is anticipated that exempting geoscientists from this licensing requirement will result in an annual lost of $30,000 to this GR Account. The revenue changes are based on revenue estimates for occupational licensing fees for the 2002-2003 biennium provided by the TNRCC. Upon passage of the bill, appropriations to the TNRCC would need to be adjusted to reflect the availability of funds in the various affected accounts. Local Government Impact No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: 582 Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, 460 Texas Board of Professional Engineers, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 501 Texas Department of Health LBB Staff: JK, CL, TL