LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 10, 2001
TO: Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair, Senate Committee on
Natural Resources
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1203 by Brown, J. E. "Buster" (Relating to coastal
area hazard reduction and recovery planning and
operations.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* SB1203, As Introduced: negative impact of $(4,604,038) 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(2,720,340) *
* 2003 (1,883,698) *
* 2004 (1,883,698) *
* 2005 (1,883,698) *
* 2006 (1,936,538) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Probable Change in Number of *
* Year Savings/(Cost) from Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from *
* General Revenue Fund State Highway Fund FY 2001 *
* 0001 0006 *
* 2002 $(2,720,340) $(3,888,235) 26.0 *
* 2003 (1,883,698) 0 26.0 *
* 2004 (1,883,698) 0 26.0 *
* 2005 (1,883,698) 0 26.0 *
* 2006 (1,936,538) 0 26.0 *
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Technology Impact
The Emergency Management Service (EMS) of the Department of Public Safety
estimates that implementing provisions of this bill would require the
installation and maintenance of a T-1 Web line. The annual cost
incurred with this line is estimated to be $267,998. Additionally, EMS
would need to execute a contract for the establishment and maintenance
of a Post-hazard Analysis and Coastal Awareness system. This system is
estimated to cost $630,000 in fiscal year 2002, and $550,000 per fiscal
year during 2003-2006.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require EMS to prepare a coastal hazard reduction and
recovery annex to the State Emergency Management Plan. The annex must
include provisions that address a) coastal hazard reduction and recovery,
b) assistance to local government in the preparation of vulnerability
assessments, c) processes for the integration of local assessments into a
coastwide assessment, and d) processes to network coastal emergency
operations centers into the state operations center. The bill would
require EMS to implement the plan by March 1, 2002.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2001.
Methodology
EMS estimates that the implementation of this plan would require 26
additional personnel. These personnel would be necessary for field
operations to assist local governments in planning, training and
exercising in preparation of coastal hazards. Additionally, several of
these personnel would be involved in the central office to develop,
implement and manage programs related to the annex. These programs would
include a public awareness program and the hazard vulnerability
assessment programs that are required by the bill.
Salaries for these individuals are estimated to be $691,837 in fiscal
year 2002 and $678,481 each fiscal year thereafter. Associated personnel
benefits are estimated to be $195,652 in fiscal year 2002 and $191,874
each fiscal year thereafter. Computer hardware and software for the new
personnel would cost $52,840 in fiscal year 2002 and then again in fiscal
year 2006 when this equipment is replaced. Rent, operating expenses and
travel expenses are estimated to cost $195,345 each fiscal year. There
would be a one-time cost in fiscal year 2002 of $686,668 for the
provision of pass-through grants to local government to purchase computer
equipment to allow them to network with the EMS systems and among each
other. Finally, there would be a cost of $897,998 in fiscal year 2002
and $817,998 from fiscal years 2003-06 related to the items mentioned in
the technology impact section.
The bill would require that instant hazard analyses and evacuation route
information be provided for and implemented. The Texas Department of
Transportation (TXDOT) estimates that the coastal hazard reduction and
recovery program would cost $19,531 in equipment (video, power
installations, wiring, and other items) for each of the 185 locations
that would be covered by the plan for a total cost of $3,613,235 in
fiscal year 2002. Software that could feed video capability and
information to the EMS is estimated to cost $275,000 in fiscal year
2002. It is estimated that TXDOT could support the personnel needed for
this program within its current appropriations and full-time equivalent
cap.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
Source Agencies: 405 Texas Department of Public Safety, 301 Office
of the Governor, 305 General Land Office, 601
Texas Department of Transportation
LBB Staff: JK, CL, JN, DG, DW, ZS