LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 27, 2009

TO:	Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB502 by Carona (Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation, counties, and certain toll project entities and regional mobility authorities to enter into funding agreements to expedite the entity's environmental review duties related to certain transportation projects.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would authorize the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to enter into an agreement to provide funds to a state or federal agency to expedite the state or federal agency's environmental review process for a TxDOT transportation project.

TxDOT indicates that funding from the state's current allocation of federal highway planning and construction dollars would be used to provide funds to state or federal agency to expedite that agency's environmental review process. Based on the analysis of TxDOT, it is assumed that any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill would be accommodated through the reallocation of funding from other highway planning and construction activities.

Local Government Impact

It is assumed that a county, a regional tollway authority, or a regional mobility authority will authorize funds for expediting environmental reviews only if the funds are available.

Source Agencies:

601 Department of Transportation

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, MW, TG