LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 2, 2011

TO:	Honorable Tommy Williams, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1301 by Guillen (Relating to making a voluntary contribution to the Parks and Wildlife Department when registering a motor vehicle or renewing a motor vehicle registration.), As Engrossed

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1301, As Engrossed: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2013.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2012	$0
2013	$0
2014	$0
2015	$0
2016	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Revenue Gain from State Parks Acct 64
2012	$5,344,547
2013	$5,344,547
2014	$5,344,547
2015	$5,344,547
2016	$5,344,547

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would implement a recommendation similar to the report "Increase Private Contributions for State Parks" in the Legislative Budget Board's Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Report, submitted to the Eighty-second Texas Legislature, 2011.

The bill would establish a system in which motorists contribute $1 with their initial vehicle registration or renewal to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Contributions to TPWD would be automatically added to the registration fee, however, vehicles owners could opt not to make the donation. These donations could only be used to operate and maintain TPWD state parks, natural areas, and historic sites.

Methodology

The Texas Parks and Wildlife projects that approximately 32 percent of registrations will include a donation. This estimate is based on Washington state's experience with a similar state park contribution system and the rate at which Texas residents are likely to donate. Applying this donation rate to the number of eligible vehicles results in a projected gain of approximately $5.3 million per year to the State Parks account 64.

Local Government Impact

The bill would require a county assessor-collector to send these contributions to the comptroller for deposit into the State Parks account. Increased administrative workload is not anticipated to be significant and could be absorbed within current resources.

Source Agencies:

304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 608 Department of Motor Vehicles, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, JI, RN, KM, KKR