LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 16, 2009

TO:
Honorable Mark Homer, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB2321 by Homer (Relating to lifetime licenses for hunting and fishing.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2321, As Introduced: 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.

The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code to allow a non-resident who was born in Texas to purchase a lifetime non-resident hunting and/or fishing license at the same price as a resident.  The bill would take effect September 1, 2009.



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 from
Lifetime Lic Endow Acct
544 		Probable Revenue (Loss) from
Game,Fish,Water Safety Ac
9
2010 $462,000 ($114,526)
2011 $0 ($114,526)
2012 $0 ($114,526)
2013 $0 ($114,526)
2014 $0 ($114,526)

Fiscal Analysis

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), one-time gain in revenue of $462,000 to the General Revenue-Dedicated Lifetime License Endowment Fund No. 544 in fiscal year 2010 would be offset by revenue loss to the General Revenue-Dedicated Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9 of $114,526 in fiscal year 2010 and each year thereafter.  These estimates are based on fiscal year 2008 sales of non-resident hunting and fishing licenses.


Methodology

TPWD indicates in fiscal year 2008 there were approximately 28,938 non-resident hunting licenses sold, and approximately 48,093 non-resident fishing licenses sold (representing freshwater, saltwater, and all-water licenses). TPWD estimates that approximately 1 percent of these non-residents are Texas born and would choose to purchase the lifetime license representing a population of 289 hunters and 481 fishermen.

Assuming the lifetime license represents a one-time purchase (as opposed to annual fees for the traditional non-resident hunting and fishing licenses), this analysis assumes all of these 770 non-residents would purchase the lifetime license in  fiscal year 2010. The current resident lifetime hunting license is $600 and the current resident lifetime fishing license is also $600. This would represent a gross revenue gain of approximately $462,000 ($600 multiplied by 289 hunters + $600 multiplied by 481 fishermen) in the Lifetime License Endowment Fund in fiscal year 2010. At $300 for a non-resident hunting license and an average of $57.85 for a fishing license (average between freshwater, saltwater, and all-water licenses) this represents a revenue loss of $114,526 (289 hunters multiplied by $300 + 481fishermen multiplied by $57.85) each fiscal year from 2010-2015.


Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
802 Parks and Wildlife Department
LBB Staff:
JOB, WK, ZS, TB