LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 18, 2011

TO:
Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
 
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1487 by Gutierrez (Relating to a study comparing the effects on retail water and sewer utility service rates of acquiring by certain means additional water for Bexar County retail water and sewer utility service consumers.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to conduct a comparative study to determine the impact to retail water and sewer utility customer’s rates in Bexar County due to the availability of an additional 40,000 acre-feet of water supply either from a desalination project or piping in additional surface water from the east or west of Bexar County.  The TCEQ would be required to consult with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), which would be required to assist with the study. TCEQ would publish the results of the study on its website no later than December 1, 2012, and deliver the study results to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, all house committees with jurisdiction over water resources or water utilities and the Bexar County Commissioners Court. 
 
The costs of conducting the study required by the bill are not expected to be significant to the TCEQ and TWDB.

Local Government Impact

Because the bill would not have statewide impact on units of local government of the same type or class, no comment from this office is required by the rules of the House/Senate as to its probable fiscal implication on units of local government.


Source Agencies:
580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
LBB Staff:
JOB, SZ, TL