LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 29, 2005

TO:
Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1765 by Harris (Relating to the management of deer on private property; providing penalties. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1765, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2007.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2006 $0
2007 $0
2008 $0
2009 $0
2010 $0




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
GAME,FISH,WATER SAFETY AC
9
2006 $147,040
2007 $247,040
2008 $247,040
2009 $247,040
2010 $247,040

The bill would establish a new "comprehensive high fence deer management permit," to be issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to landowners/deer managers for managing deer on private property completely enclosed by a high fence. The permit would allow: (1) management and harvest of deer on the property; (2) population control of deer on the property; (3) capture and enclosure of deer for propagation and release; (4) transport of deer between properties; and (5) recapture of a certain scientific breeder deer. A person holding the permit would not be required to hold any other deer management permit. The cost for the permit and renewal would be $2,000.


Fiscal Analysis

Estimated revenue gain to the General Revenue-Dedicated Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9 of $394,080 over the 2006-07 biennium. 


Methodology

This estimate assumes that approximately 100 permits would be sold in the first year, increasing to 150 in the second year and leveling off in each year thereafter. The estimate of numbers sold is based on the agency’s qualified estimate of the number of people that would be interested in engaging in all the activities allowed by the permit.   The TPWD anticipates that current holders of deer management permits (DMPs), which costs $1,000 per permit and $600 to renew the permit, and approximately half of the current holders of the trap, transport and transplant or Triple T permit, which costs $180 and allows permit-holders to move deer from location to another, would opt to purchase the new comprehensive permit. TPWD indicates the current number of DMP holders is 65, while the number of Triple T holders is 44, not accounting for an unknown amount of overlap between holders of these two permits.  The anticipated loss in revenue from DMP and Triple T permit fees is estimated to be $52,960 per fiscal year.

TPWD does not anticipate any significant additional costs associated with implementing the provisions of this bill, because it is assumed that most individuals applying for the permit would make use of their own, rather than TPWD, biologists. Because TPWD indicates there would be minimal operating costs associated related to the bill, this estimate assumes the agency can absorb this cost within existing resources.


Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
802 Parks and Wildlife Department
LBB Staff:
JOB, WK, ZS, TB