| TO: | Honorable David Dewhurst , Lieutenant Governor, Senate Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1263 by Watson (Relating to certain mass transit entities. ), Conference Committee Report |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
|---|---|
| 2010 | $0 |
| 2011 | $0 |
| 2012 | $0 |
| 2013 | $0 |
| 2014 | $0 |
| 2015 | $0 |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1 |
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from General Revenue Fund 1 |
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority |
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ($194,569) | $194,569 | ($194,569) | 3.0 |
| 2011 | ($194,569) | $194,569 | ($194,569) | 3.0 |
| 2012 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0 |
| 2013 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0 |
| 2014 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0 |
| 2015 | ($194,569) | $194,569 | ($194,569) | 3.0 |
The bill would add Section 451.0612 to Subchapter B, Chapter 451, Transportation Code to
authorize certain metropolitan transportation authorities to employ persons to serve as fare
enforcement officers to enforce the payment of fares for use of the public transportation system. The
authority in the City of Austin, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Cap Metro), is the only metropolitan transportation authority that meets the criteria for which authority to whom the new section of statute would apply.
The bill would further amend Chapter 451 of the Transportation Code as it relates to Cap Metro to include requirements related to the effective date of establishment of or a change to fares, tolls, charges, rents, and other compensation by Cap Metro; holding a referendum on funding a fixed rail system; internal audits; reports to the principal municipality and county which Cap Metro serves; and membership of the Cap Metro board.
The bill would require that the Sunset Advisory Commission review Cap Metro as if it was scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2011, and again as if it was scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2016. Cap Metro would be required to pay the costs incurred for the commission to conduct the reviews.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2009.
The bill would do one or more of the following: create or recreate a dedicated account in the General
Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or
create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in the bill would
be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
According to the Sunset Advisory Commission, the agency would need three additional full-time-equivalent positions in each year in which the reviews of Cap Metro are conducted: fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2015 (although there would be costs incurred in fiscal year 2016, this analysis covers only the first six years of implementation). The commission would also incur production costs to print and distribute reports containing the commission's recommendations. All cost estimates are based on historical costs related to similar sized reviews. As required by provisions of the bill, the commission would be reimbursed its costs by Cap Metro.
The costs to Cap Metro as a result of the proposed changes to Chapter 451, Transportation Code, are shown in the above tables.
| Source Agencies: | 116 Sunset Advisory Commission
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, DB, KJG, SD
|