| TO: | Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1766 by Harris (Relating to transferring certain responsibilities from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife to the Texas Department of Agriculture.), As Introduced |
The bill would transfer permitting and other responsibilities relating to deer management and scientific breeder programs from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). This estimate assumes the transfer of $98,577 in costs associated with 1.8 FTEs, benefits, and operations from the TPWD to the TDA. At TPWD, a total of 4.0 FTEs administer the program and the costs reflect prorated salaries ($71,649), related benefits ($21,308) and other operating expenses ($5,600) for positions including a technician, two program specialists, and a manager.
Similarly, this estimate assumes the reallocation of revenue deposited to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9 to General Revenue. TPWD indicates annual revenue to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account includes $140,760 from scientific breeder permits ($180 x 782), $53,760 from the sale of 1,792 deer purchase permits (1,792 x $30), $1,470 from the sale of 49 deer transport permits ($30 x 49), and $47,800 from the sale of deer management permits and renewals (25 permits at $1,000 each; 38 renewals at $600 each). This results in a total annual loss of revenue of $243,790 to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9 and a revenue gain to General Revenue in the same amount. Because this estimate assumes no net fiscal impact from transfers and reallocation of deposits from TPWD to TDA under bill provisions, no fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: | 551 Department of Agriculture, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, WK, ZS, TB
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