LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 16, 2007

TO:	Honorable Judith Zaffirini, Chair, Senate Committee on S/C on Higher Education
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2074 by Krusee (Relating to the creation of the East Williamson County Multi-Institution Teaching Center.), As Engrossed

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2074, As Engrossed: 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2008	$0
2009	$0
2010	($1,240,270)
2011	($1,461,037)
2012	($1,721,100)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1
2008	$0
2009	$0
2010	($1,240,270)
2011	($1,461,037)
2012	($1,721,100)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill directs the Temple Junior College District to establish, in conjunction with at least one other institution of higher education, the East Williamson County Higher Education Center which will be administered under a formal agreement entered into by the Temple Junior College District and the member institutions. The Center will provide higher education opportunities to the residents of the region by offering academic credit courses and programs from the member institutions, and will work with the local community to identify and offer courses to meet the workforce development goals of the region.

The bill would also amend Section 87.861(d), Education Code, to include East Williamson County Higher Education Center students taught by the faculty of Tarleton State University System Center - Central Texas in the enrollment calculation for that system center to become a free-standing general academic teaching institution.

Methodology

The estimated fiscal impact assumes the agreement between the Temple Junior College District and the member institutions of the East Williamson County Higher Education Center would provide state reimbursement under the two-year institution contact hour formula and that the junior college would provide adequate facilities to implement provisions of the bill. State reimbursement for contact hours would begin in the 2010-11 biennium. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board estimates this cost based on current contact hour data provided by Temple College for its currently-existing Temple College at Taylor facility.  

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, MN, RT, SSh