LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 7, 2009

TO:
Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on Environmental Regulation
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB821 by Leibowitz (Relating to the sale, recovery, and recycling of certain television equipment; providing administrative penalties.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB821, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

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
2010 $0
2011 $0
2012 $0
2013 $0
2014 $0




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
General Revenue Fund
1 		Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
2010 $0 $0
2011 $127,500 ($127,500)
2012 $127,500 ($127,500)
2013 $127,500 ($127,500)
2014 $127,500 ($127,500)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require manufacturers to label televisions sold in the state and would prohibit the sale of televisions without the proper label. The bill would require television manufacturers to register with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and pay a registration fee of $2,500.  The registration would be renewed annually and would have to contain specific information including the brands offered for sale and contact information.
 
The bill would require manufacturers to report to the TCEQ by January 31 of each year the total weight of covered television equipment that was sold in the state or sold nationally in the preceding year.  Manufacturers would also have to report the total weight of covered televisions that were collected and recycled in the state during the preceding year. Manufacturers would also be required to submit to the commission, either individually or as a group, a recovery plan to collect, transport, and recycle covered television equipment.  

The TCEQ would be responsible for publishing the list of registered manufacturers on its website and those who are in compliance, to educate consumers, provide a toll free telephone number for information, host or designate a host for an internet site that contains links about the recovery plans, collection events, collection sites, and community recycling programs.  The TCEQ would be authorized to conduct audits and inspections and would be required to enforce provisions in the bill. 


Methodology

It is estimated that the bill's $2,500 registration fee would apply to 51 manufacturers resulting in annual of revenue of $127,500 to the General Revenue Fund beginning in fiscal year 2011. This estimate assumes that the funding would be appropriated to the TCEQ to carry out the responsibilities required by the bill.

The bill's provision for a registration fee for television recyclers to recover costs is not expected to be significant because related costs are not expected to be significant.


Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
LBB Staff:
JOB, SZ, ZS, TL