LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 11, 2001
TO: Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on
State Affairs
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1109 by Bernsen (Relating to the use of the
Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry operated by the Texas
Department of Transportation.), Committee Report 1st
House, Substituted
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* SB1109, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: positive impact *
* of $0 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 Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $0 *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 0 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 0 *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Probable Revenue Probable Revenue *
* Year Savings/(Cost) from Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from *
* State Highway Fund State Highway Fund Parks and Wildlife *
* 0006 0006 Operating Account/ *
* GR-Dedicated *
* 0420 *
* 2002 $(2,430,000) $30,000 $20,000 *
* 2003 (30,000) 30,000 20,000 *
* 2004 (30,000) 30,000 20,000 *
* 2005 (30,000) 30,000 20,000 *
* 2006 (30,000) 30,000 20,000 *
**************************************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to allow an owner of a
registered motor vehicle to apply to the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) to receive sticker that would entitle the vehicle
to have a priority in boarding the Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry operated
by TxDOT. The bill would require TxDOT to design a sticker, designate
the windshield location for placement, and sell the sticker annually to
qualified persons for a fee of $50. The bill would require $30 to be
deposited in the State Highway Fund, of which $10 would be used to defray
related administration costs, and that the remaining $20 be deposited to
the General Revenue Dedicated Texas Parks and Wildlife Operating Account
420.
The bill would allow TxDOT to adopt necessary rules and would also
require TxDOT to prescribe necessary forms to administer the provisions
of the bill.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2001.
Methodology
TxDOT estimates that approximately $2.4 million would be required in
fiscal year 2002 for improvements to existing landings and staging area
modifications that would have to be made to accommodate the priority
boarding vehicles. TxDOT also estimates that an additional cost of
$30,000 each year would be realized for seasonal contracting with
additional off-duty police officers to work in the priority staging area.
TxDOT estimates that 1,000 residents or homeowners from the Bolivar
Peninsula would purchase a sticker annually and that revenues would be
generated each year in amounts of $30,000 for the State Highway Fund and
$20,000 for the General Revenue Dedicated Texas Parks and Wildlife
Operating Account 420.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 601 Texas
Department of Transportation
LBB Staff: JK, RB, RT, MW