LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 3, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Teel Bivins, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Education
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1186  by Shapleigh (Relating to the ranking of
               undergraduate state universities by the Texas Higher
               Education Coordinating Board.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
to rank general academic institutions using data supplied by the
institutions and to create a web page displaying the rankings and data.

THECB estimates costs of $10,000 per year for all 35 general academic
institutions in General Revenue ($350,000/year) for reprogramming reports
and data verification.  LBB believes this expense could be paid either
through institutional funds or current appropriations, resulting in no
additional cost to General Revenue.

In addition, THECB estimates General Revenue costs at the agency of
approximately $69,000 in the first year for two part-time employees (to
assist with data analysis, construction of web page, development of a
ranking system, and communications with institutions), support costs,
and equipment and approximately $34,000 in the second through fifth
years for one part-time employee (to assist with development of ranking
system and communications with institutions) and support costs.
  
Technology Impact
  
THECB would need to create a web page or series of web pages to post data
and ranking information.  Each institution's home page would need to be
updated to contain a link to THECB's website.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   781   Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
LBB Staff:         JK, CT, DB, KC