Honorable Gary Elkins, Chair, House Committee on Technology
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB335 by Stickland (Relating to the posting of certain notices for political subdivisions on the comptroller's Internet website.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB335, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($1,116,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2015.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2014
($803,000)
2015
($313,000)
2016
($313,000)
2017
($313,000)
2018
($313,000)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2013
2014
($803,000)
4.0
2015
($313,000)
4.0
2016
($313,000)
4.0
2017
($313,000)
4.0
2018
($313,000)
4.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would add Subchapter E to Chapter 2051 of the Government Code to require a political subdivision to provide an electronic copy of each notice required by law to be published in a newspaper, to the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) and would establish requirements regarding the notice in a newspaper. The bill would require the CPA to establish and maintain a web page on the CPA's Internet website to post notices and to determine the format. CPA would be required to establish a system to allow a person to receive an e-mail alert for an update to a category of notices on the web page and to maintain an archive of posted notices. Election notices would be exempt from application of the bill.
The provision on the bill regarding the adoption of rules by the Comptroller would take effect September 1, 2013. Remaining provisions of the bill would take effect September 1, 2014.
Methodology
The CPA's analysis reflects costs of $803,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $313,000 in each subsequent fiscal year, including 4.0 full-time equivalents (FTEs), to establish and maintain a web page on the CPA's Internet website to post notices from political subdivisions. Annual costs reflect 3.0 FTEs (Program Specialists IV) whose primary responsibilities would include reviewing an estimated 16,000 notifications in each fiscal year to ensure postings are appropriate and exclude confidential or personally identifiable information and an additional 1.0 FTE (Information Specialist III) to maintain the web page and manage email notifications. In addition, fiscal year 2014 reflects a one-time technology cost of $490,000 for programming and system support.
Technology
The CPA indicates a one-time technology cost of $490,000 in fiscal year 2014 for the programming and system support costs. Costs assume a total of 3,920 hours for development of applications.
Local Government Impact
There could be costs to a political subdivision that would be required to provide an electronic copy of all notices to CPA and post the CPA's Internet website address in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks.
The Lubbock County Auditor indicated the fiscal impact would be minimal because the Civil Criminal District Attorney has staff and currently responds to questions from county officials, including the County Auditor.