LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 19, 2009

TO:	Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB858 by Seliger (Relating to offering the classroom portion of a driver education course through an alternative method of instruction.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB858, 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010	$0
2011	$0
2012	$0
2013	$0
2014	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010	($153,000)	$153,000	2.0
2011	($137,000)	$137,000	2.0
2012	($137,000)	$137,000	2.0
2013	($137,000)	$137,000	2.0
2014	($137,000)	$137,000	2.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would allow a driver education provider to provide the classroom portion of the course through an alternative method of instruction that does not require students to be present in a classroom and would require the Commissioner of Education to approve the method if it is determined that testing and security measures are at least as secure as a classroom course and that the method allows for the course to meet all other requirements.

The bill would allow the Commissioner to charge a fee to providers when applying for approval of alternative methods of instruction.

Methodology

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) estimates the provisions of the bill would require two full-time-equivalent positions (FTEs) to review and approve applications for alternative methods of instruction at a cost of $153,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2010 and $137,000 in each subsequent year. TEA estimates that sufficient fee revenue, permissable under the provisions of the bill, would be generated to offset cost.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

701 Central Education Agency

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, JGM, WG, ESi, JSc