LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATURE 3rd CALLED SESSION - 2003

September 19, 2003

TO:	Honorable Teel Bivins, Chair, Senate Committee on Finance
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB37 by Bonnen (Relating to contracts and grant programs related to the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would reduce the duties of the Texas Council on Environmental Technology (TCET), transferring some of the agency's functions to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The TCEQ would administer the technology research and development grant program in conjunction with the TCET. The TCEQ, instead of TCET under current law, would be responsible for making grants, issuing requests for proposals, evaluating project proposals and reporting to the Legislature.

Since appropriations to the TCET were vetoed by the Governor, Seventy-Eighth Legislature, Regular Session, this estimate assumes that there would be no significant savings resulting from the passage of the bill.

Although the bill would transfer duties to the TCEQ, the bill would not increase the portion of the Texas Emissions Reductions Plan Account which the TCEQ is authorized to use (87.5 percent per Health and Safety Code, Section 386.252). Therefore, this estimate assumes passage of the bill would not result in additional funds being appropriated.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JK, JO, SD, CL, ZS, TL