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:	HB4056 by Allen (Relating to the establishment of a program for the collection, transportation, recycling, and disposal of mercury-added thermostats.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require manufacturers of out-of-service thermostats to establish programs for  collection and recycling, education and outreach, collection incentives and education, and progress reports. The bill would create responsibilities for thermostat retailers, wholesalers, and air-conditioning and refrigeration contractors. The bill would prohibits persons from selling or offering for sale thermostats manufactured by noncompliant manufacturers. The bill would direct manufacturers to submit progress reports to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and post the progress reports on the internet. The bill would require solid waste treatment, processing and disposal facilities to post signs notifying customers of the requirement to take out of service mercury-added thermostats to a point of collection. A manufacturer’s collection program would be authorized to charge a one time administrative fee of $40 to wholesalers and local governments.
 
The TCEQ would be required to verify compliance with the provisions of the bill. This estimate assumes that the agency will only be required to perform investigations upon receiving complaints, which the agency is expected to handle using existing resources. 

Local Government Impact

The TCEQ reports that the bill could benefit local governmental entities by reducing wastes going to local landfills. The one-time administrative fee that could be charged to a local government is not considered by this estimate to be significant.

Source Agencies:

452 Department of Licensing and Regulation, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JOB, SZ, TL