| TO: | Honorable Harvey Hilderbran, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation, & Tourism |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3051 by Hopson (Relating to boating and water safety. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would clarify and amend portions of the Parks and Wildlife Code relating to boating and water safety. The bill would require all persons born on or after September 1, 1984 who operate certain vessels to successfully complete a boater safety education course. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD) estimates this provision would double the number of students trained from 10,000 to 20,000 annually, due a high demand of 18 to 21-year-olds for boater education classes. The revenue increase associated with this increase in students is $50,000 at $5 per student.
The bill would increase the amount of fees volunteer instructors can retain to cover defrayed costs from $3 to $5 per student. The bill would disallow collection of defrayed costs separately, reducing the $10 course fee authorized by statute and collected by the department to $5 per student. The annual revenue loss of $50,000 associated with the existing student population would be offset by the annual $50,000 revenue gain associated with new students.
Due to the increased number of students, TPWD indicates that two additional field staff with related operating expenses would be needed to provide additional volunteer instructor and student courses in Texas. However, this estimate assumes that TPWD could redirect existing staff positions to assume additional boater education duties associated with removing the exemption for persons 18 to 21 years old. Accordingly, no significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: | 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, WK, ZS, TB
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