LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 7, 2005

TO:	Honorable George "Buddy" West, Chair, House Committee on Energy Resources
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2203 by Hughes (Relating to the powers and duties of the General Land Office and the disposition of certain unsurveyed public school land.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill proposes to clarify and streamline the process of selling and leasing vacancies - areas of un-surveyed unsold public school lands, which are owned by an entity other than the State of Texas. According to the General Land Office (GLO), there would be minimal cost savings associated with the streamlining of this process.  There would also, however, be some additional administrative costs.  According to the GLO these costs would be absorbed within existing resources.

 

The bill also reduces the finder’s fee paid to individuals who identify a vacancy.  This reduction could result in potential cost savings to the Permanent School Fund; however, these savings are not anticipated to be significant.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, WK, ZS, JF, KJG