LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 16, 2001 TO: Honorable David Counts, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB3527 by Counts (Relating to the use of certain fees by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** The bill would provide greater flexibility to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) in setting several water related fees, allowing the agency to set fees to cover costs incurred to protect water resources that are reasonably related to the activities of fee payers. The bill could result in increased revenues to the General Revenue-Dedicated Account No. 153 since it would allow fees to be set based on broader criteria than under current law. The amount of additional revenue would depend on agency needs and legislative appropriations. For example, passage of the bill could potentially provide a mechanism to raise sufficient revenue to cover costs currently paid using General Revenue, and/or the bill potentially could provide funding for additional expenses associated with the development and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDLs) and the implementation of watershed action plans. The TNRCC has identified the need for an additional $3.9 million for TMDLs during the 2002-03 biennium. Local Government Impact Local governments could incur cost increases, depending on rate increases the TNRCC would implement as a result of the bill's passage. Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 582 Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission LBB Staff: JK, CL, TL