LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 20, 2005

TO:	Honorable Todd Staples, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1816 by West, George "Buddy" (Relating to the transfer of powers and duties over railroads from the Railroad Commission of Texas to the Texas Department of Transportation.), Committee Report 2nd House, As Amended

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would change the name of the Railroad Commission of Texas to the Texas Energy Commission.  There would be no significant fiscal impact as a result of the agency name change.

The bill would also transfer all powers and duties of the Railroad Commission relating to railroads and the regulation of railroads to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) effective October 1, 2005. 

Passage of the bill would result in $906,212 in General Revenue appropriations and 16.1 FTEs being transferred from the Railroad Commission to TxDOT. This amount is based on the current budget of the Railroad Commission's rail safety program. This program is currently funded by fees that cover all direct and indirect program costs.  For purposes of this analysis, it is assumed that if the program were transferred to TxDOT, the rail safety program would continue to be self-supporting.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

455 Railroad Commission, 601 Department of Transportation

LBB Staff:

JOB, SR, WK, ZS, TL