Honorable Larry Phillips, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB197 by West (Relating to the compulsory inspection of motor vehicles; providing penalties.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB197, As Engrossed: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2013.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2012
$0
2013
$0
2014
$0
2015
$0
2016
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Revenue Gain from Texas Mobility Fund 365
2012
$461,000
2013
$698,000
2014
$461,000
2015
$698,000
2016
$461,000
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to permit the Texas Commission on Environment Quality (TCEQ) to impose an administrative penalty for certain violations related to motor vehicle inspection. The bill would require applications for certification as a motor vehicle inspection station in certain counties to include a surety bond of $5,000. The bill would create civil penalties for certain violations committed by inspection stations and inspectors related to motor vehicle inspections. The bill would increase certain fees associated with applications for certification as a motor vehicle inspector or inspection station. The bill would create the offense of fraudulent emissions inspection of motor vehicle. The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
Methodology
The bill would increase the fee for certification as an inspector from $10 to $25 and increase the fee for certification as an inspection station from $30 to $100. The bill would also increase certain fees for certification as an inspection station if the inspection station had previously been convicted of certain violations.
The Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) indicates approximately 10,500 inspection stations would be subject to the $70 fee increase and 32,370 inspectors would be subject to the $15 fee increase. The inspection stations would be subject to the fee increase in fiscal year 2013 and every other year thereafter and the inspectors would be subject to the fee increase in fiscal year 2012 and every other year thereafter. CPA estimates the bill would result in a revenue gain to the Texas Mobility Fund of $461,000 in fiscal year 2012 and $698,000 in fiscal year 2013. The gain of $461,000 would continue in each subsequent even-numbered year, and the gain of $698,000 would continue in each subsequent odd-numbered year.
For this analysis it is assumed implementing the provisions of the bill would not result in a significant impact on the programs and workload of State corrections agencies or on the demand for resources of those agencies.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality