LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 10, 2003

TO:	Honorable David Swinford, Chair, House Committee on Government Reform
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3261 by Swinford (Relating to railroad safety inspection fees.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3261, As Introduced: a positive impact of $2,818,834 through the biennium ending August 31, 2005.

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
2004	$1,410,092
2005	$1,408,742
2006	$1,408,742
2007	$1,408,742
2008	$1,408,742

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1
2004	$1,410,092
2005	$1,408,742
2006	$1,408,742
2007	$1,408,742
2008	$1,408,742

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would allow the Railroad Commission to adopt fees to be assessed on railroads to recover costs necessary to administer the rail safety program. Fees would be deposited in to the credit of the general revenue fund to be used for the rail safety program.

Methodology

The agency reports that it would assess a fee of $0.000005 per gross ton mile. This estimate assumes that the fees assessed would be sufficient to cover $1.1 million per year in agency costs currently covered through General Revenue plus indirect benefit costs.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:	455 Railroad Commission
LBB Staff:	JK, GO