80(R) HJR 30 - Engrossed version

TO:	Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs

FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	HJR30 by Jackson, Jim (Proposing a constitutional amendment to allow the repurchase of real property acquired by a governmental entity through eminent domain.), As Engrossed

The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $77,468. Any other fiscal impact would depend on amount and value of property affected and how many persons would seek to repurchase land previously acquired by the state through eminent domain.

The resolution would propose a constitutional amendment to authorize a governmental entity, under certain circumstances, to sell real property acquired through eminent domain to the person who owned the real property interest immediately before the government acquired the property interest, or to that person's heirs, successors, or assigns, at the price paid by the entity when acquisition occurred. The proposed amendment would be required to be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007.

The initial cost to the state would be for publication costs, as indicated in the box above.

If the voters were to approve the constitutional amendment, it is unknown how many property interests would be affected or how many persons would seek to repurchase such land; therefore, the fiscal impact to the state or local government entities cannot be determined.

Several local government entities and associations were contacted regarding the fiscal impact to local government. As indicated above, the fiscal impact cannot be determined. However, as an example of potential impact to a local government entity, Harris County reports having condemned 460 parcels at an aggregate market value of $108 million between calendar years 2002 and 2006.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


May 16, 2007