LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 4, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Teel Bivins, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Education
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1190  by Ellis, Rodney (Relating to technology
               development and transfer by institutions of higher
               education.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB1190, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(1,000,000) 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                           $(500,000)  *
          *       2003                            (500,000)  *
          *       2004                            (500,000)  *
          *       2005                            (500,000)  *
          *       2006                            (500,000)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
         *****************************************************
         * Fiscal Year      Probable Savings/(Cost) from      *
         *                      General Revenue Fund          *
         *                              0001                  *
         *      2002                               $(500,000) *
         *      2003                                (500,000) *
         *      2004                                (500,000) *
         *      2005                                (500,000) *
         *      2006                                (500,000) *
         *****************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill allows higher education institutions to establish centers to
manage, transfer, market, or otherwise commercialize technology owned by
the institution or in which the institution owns an interest.  It further
allows the acceptance and administration of funds, including state
appropriations, gifts, grants, contracts, and donations, to aid in the
establishment, maintenance, and operation of the center or to aid in the
discovery, development, protection, or commercialization of technology.
  
  
Methodology
  
Based on analysis by the institutions, the minimum funding necessary to
implement the bill would be $500,000 per year.  The cost to establish
and operate the centers is assumed to be paid from General Revenue
funds.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   720   The University of Texas System, 783
                   University of Houston System Administration, 752
                   University of North Texas, 768   Texas Tech
                   University System, 710   The Texas A&M University
                   System, 304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, CT, DB, DC