| TO: | Honorable Fred Hill, Chair, House Committee on Local Government Ways and Means |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1098 by Capelo (Relating to the authority of a municipality to impose and use utility fees for certain disabled access improvements.), As Introduced |
The bill would authorize a municipality that owns a utility, on an annual basis to impose a fee for not more than one year to be added to the utility bill for use by the municipality to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in relation to streets, sidewalks, curb cuts, auditory alarms at crosswalks, accessibility to municipal parks, and park improvements. The fee may not exceed $1 and would be required to be paid at an interval determined by the municipality.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2003.
The City of El Paso estimates that provisions of the bill, if the maximum fee were to be added on a monthly basis, would generate an additional $120,000 per month in revenue for complying with the designated ADA requirements.
The City of Corpus Christi estimates the city would collect an additional $840,000 in revenue to help fund ADA improvements. The city estimates it will incur approximately $925,000 in expenses to comply with ADA requirements in 2004.
| Source Agencies: | |
| LBB Staff: | JK, SD, DLBa
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