LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
Revision 1
 
April 23, 2007

TO:
Honorable Frank Corte, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense Affairs & State-Federal Relations
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1116 by Martinez Fischer (Relating to the provision of a community telephone emergency notification system as part of the 9-1-1 system.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1116, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.

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
2008 $0
2009 $0
2010 $0
2011 $0
2012 $0




Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) from
911 SERVICE FEES
5050
2008 ($4,213,833)
2009 ($3,885,468)
2010 ($3,885,468)
2011 ($3,885,468)
2012 ($3,885,468)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to require the Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC) to develop performance measures for 9-1-1 regional plans submitted by Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) that provide for the operation of a community telephone emergency notification system. The standards would be required to be developed by October 1, 2007. Each RPC would be required to submit an amendment to its regional plan not later than January 1, 2008 and identify procedures for full implementation of a system by July 1, 2008.

In addition, by July 1, 2008, an emergency communication district would be required to provide as part of the 9-1-1 system for each participating jurisdiction a community telephone emergency notification system. The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.


Methodology

This analysis assumes the RPCs within the statewide 9-1-1 program would be required to provide a community telephone emergency notification system that would be paid for using grants received from CSEC.
 
CSEC has indicated that a third party vendor would provide community telephone emergency notification system services. Nonrecurring costs for the development of the initial database and necessary software are estimated at $2,271,099 for fiscal year 2008. It is assumed that 6 months would be required to implement the community telephone emergency notification system, therefore recurring costs for system maintenance and monitoring would be $1,942,734 in fiscal year 2008. Annual recurring system maintenance and monitoring costs are estimated at $3,885,468. Total cost to the General Revenue-Dedicated Service Fees Account is estimated at $8,099,301 for the 2008-09 biennium.

Local Government Impact

The fiscal impact to emergency communication districts (ECD) would vary depending on the number of telephone numbers that would be included within the district notification system. Estimates provided by districts from around the state indicate that the fiscal impact would be moderate to significant. Or, if a district has already implemented a system that will meet the as yet to be developed standards, there would be no fiscal impact.

For example, one of the largest districts, the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 ECD, serving a population of about 4.2 million, estimates that there would be no fiscal impact if the existing system currently offered by the district to participating jurisdictions fits the requirements of the bill; however, significant costs if the system does not meet the critera.

Another of the largest districts, the Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network District, serving a population of over 1.7 million, estimates initial costs of $740,881 for 0.5 full-time-equivalent, servers and software, database, dial tone (42 PRI), and training. This amount is considered to be moderate relative to the district's overall budget.

The Lubbock ECD based its estimate on the assumption that a single system capable of notifying a target group of 1,000 or less per minute, indicating if the target group were to be larger, costs would increase. For fiscal year 2008, the Lubbock ECD estimates costs of $193,039. These costs are considered moderate relative to the district's overall budget. The district serves a population of approximately 300,000.

The McLennan County 9-1-1 ECD, serving a population of about 217,000 (one county with 21 municipalities), estimates significant costs of $200,700 in fiscal year 2008, dropping to between $114,525 in fiscal year 2009, then increasing incrementally each year thereafter.

The Southwest Regional Communications Center, in which all three participating cities will have a reverse notification system in place by fiscal year 2008, indicates moderate costs for continuing maintenance, at $7,000 per city. The district serves a population of approximately 127,000.

The Medina County 9-1-1 ECD estimates cost of $569,780 in fiscal year 2008 for an additional staff person, computer servers and software, database and software maintenance, line lease fees, and training. The district reports, too, that to meet the implementation date in the bill would require an additional expenditure of $60,000 for GIS and databased contract support. Costs would exceed $483,000 per year in each of the subsequent four years. These costs are considered significant relative to the district's overall budget. The district serves a population of nearly 43,000.



Source Agencies:
477 Commission on State Emergency Communications
LBB Staff:
JOB, MS, DB, SMi