LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 13, 2009

TO:	Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3139 by Herrero (Relating to discount programs for certain veterans provided by toll project entities.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Transportation Code to authorize a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers. The bill would require the program to include free or discounted use of a an entity’s toll project by a customer whose electronic toll collection account relates to a vehicle registered with a disabled veterans or Purple Heart specialty license plate or a person who has received the Medal of Honor. The bill would authorize the legislature to appropriate funds from the General Revenue fund to defray the cost of providing free or discounted use of the entity’s toll project.

TxDOT indicates that the bond indenture related to the Central Texas Turnpike System (CTTS) does not provide the flexibility for a toll reduction or exemption program for disabled veterans. It is assumed General Revenue funds would be required if TxDOT were to implement the discount program on the CTTS. Based on the information provided by TxDOT on the number of vehicles registered to disabled veterans in Travis and Williamson Counties (3,378 total), it is assumed the costs to the state for implementing a discount toll program would not be significant.

Local Government Impact

The costs to a toll project entity would vary depending on the number of veterans that would register for the program, and the number that would use the toll projects in an area; however, some costs could be offset by state funds.

Source Agencies:

601 Department of Transportation

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, TG, TP