LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                                May 9, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Ron Wilson, Chair, House Committee on Licensing
               & Administrative Procedures
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1198  by Carona (Relating to inspection, installation,
               repair, and maintenance of elevators, escalators,
               chairlifts, people movers, moving sidewalks, and related
               equipment; providing an administrative penalty.),
               Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB1198, Committee Report 2nd 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:
  
**************************************************************************
*Fiscal        Probable         Probable Revenue    Change in Number of  *
* Year    Savings/(Cost) from   Gain/(Loss) from   State Employees from  *
*        General Revenue Fund General Revenue Fund        FY 2001        *
*                0001                 0001                               *
*  2002             $(193,077)             $193,077                  4.3 *
*  2003              (195,468)              195,468                  5.0 *
*  2004              (195,468)              195,468                  5.0 *
*  2005              (195,468)              195,468                  5.0 *
*  2006              (195,468)              195,468                  5.0 *
**************************************************************************
  
Technology Impact
  
Computers and software for the additional five Full-time Equivalent
positions (FTEs) totaling $11,500 in fiscal year 2002.
  
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill amends the Health and Safety Code requiring the Texas Department
of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to regulate and register elevators,
escalators, moving sidewalks and related equipment and provides for
administrative and criminal penalties. It requires licensing of elevator
mechanics and provides for renewal, temporary, emergency, and reciprocity
licenses.

The bill would allow the Commissioner to adopt standards for the
installation, alteration, operation and inspection of equipment used by
the public. In addition, the Commissioner could promulgate rules and
collect fees and issue emergency orders to shut down equipment when it
poses an imminent and significant danger.

The bill changes the composition of the elevator advisory board to twelve
members including three additional public members and changes the
appointment authority from the Commissioner to the Governor.

The effective date of the bill is September 1, 2001.  Contractors and
mechanics do not have to be registered or licensed until January 1,
2002.
  
  
Methodology
  
TDLR estimates that it would need five additional FTEs.  Since
registration and licensure is not required until January 1, 2002, only
four FTEs would be needed in fiscal year 2002.  TDLR estimates needing an
investigator to investigate 300 complaints per fiscal year and a legal
assistant to prepare legal documents for the complaints, which would only
be required two-thirds of the first year.  TDLR also anticipates needing
three administrative technicians to review and process up to 10,000
applications for certificates of compliance, up to 800 delay requests,
and up to 1,200 new elevator mechanic license applications.

It is assumed that TDLR would adjust its fees to cover the cost of
implementing the bill.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   452   Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
LBB Staff:         JK, JO, RT, DE