| TO: | Honorable Kip Averitt, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1669 by Averitt (Relating to revenue generated from and uses of public hunting lands and wildlife management areas.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code related to public hunts and public hunting lands. The bill would authorize the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to issue a permit for access to public hunting lands, providing that revenue from permit fees for access to state parks is to be deposited to the General Revenue-Dedicated State Parks Account No. 64, while all other revenue from these permit fees is to be deposited into the General Revenue-Dedicated Game, Fish, and Water Safety Account No. 9. Existing provisions regarding fees collected for hunting in state parks would be repealed.
No overall fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. However, there would be an increase to the State Parks Account and a corresponding decrease to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account in an annual amount estimated to be $148,848. This estimate assumes that fees and participation rates for the access permit will remain the same as for the existing state parks hunting permits. Figures reflected above are based on revenue data from state park hunts during fiscal year 2006. In fiscal year 2006, an estimated 1,750 persons applied for permits to hunt in state parks at permit fees of either $75 to $125 depending on the type of hung. The revenue dedication included in the bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.
| Source Agencies: | 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, WK, ZS, TB
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