| TO: | Honorable Teel Bivins, Chair, Senate Committee on Finance |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3074 by Flynn (Relating to required activities and limits on the amounts of state financial assistance for which regional planning commissions may be eligible.), As Engrossed |
This bill would amend Section 391.012 of the Local Government Code relating to the funding formula used by the state to distribute planning funds to the state's 24 planning regions, commonly referred to as councils of government (COG). The new formula would guarantee that every COG would receive a minimum of $50,000 from state funding if current appropriations were continued or increased. If state appropriations were cut, the COG's financial assistance would be cut proportionate to their 2003 funding levels.
This bill would take effect immediately upon enactment, assuming that it received the requisite two-thirds majority votes in both houses of the Legislature. Otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2003.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. According to the Texas Association of Regional Councils, this bill would guarantee that the smaller councils of government (COGs) would be assured at least $50,000 by reallocating some funds from the larger COGs to the smaller councils.
The Deep East Texas Council of Governments and the North Central Texas Council of Governments reported that implementation of the bill would not have a significant effect on their budgets.
| Source Agencies: | 301 Office of the Governor, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | JK, SD, GO, JB, KG
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