LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 16, 2009

TO:	Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1617 by Swinford (Relating to limited agricultural cooperatives; providing penalties.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would allow for the creation of limited agricultural cooperatives to market, process, or otherwise change the form or marketability of crops, livestock, and other agricultural products, including manufacturing and further processing of products, and other purposes that are necessary or convenient to facilitate the production or marketing of agricultural products by patron members or that are related to the business of the cooperative.  The bill would require cooperatives to file with the Secretary of State (SOS) when the cooperative is being created, converted, registering an office, merged, or terminated.

The Office of the Attorney General and SOS indicate that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within each agency's existing resources.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2009. 

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

302 Office of the Attorney General, 307 Secretary of State, 551 Department of Agriculture

LBB Staff:

JOB, WK, AH