LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 13, 2013

TO:
Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB485 by Davis, Sarah (Relating to the amount of the fees paid by certain peace officers, correctional officers, members of the state military forces, and veterans of the armed forces for a license to carry a concealed handgun and to the issuance of such a license to certain peace officers and members of the state military forces; authorizing a fee.), As Engrossed



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB485, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($807,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2015.

While the overall fiscal impact to the Department of Public Safety's administrative costs would not be significant, the enactment of the bill could result in a loss of revenue to the state's General Revenue Fund.




Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2014 ($380,000)
2015 ($427,000)
2016 ($484,000)
2017 ($422,000)
2018 ($367,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue (Loss) from
General Revenue Fund
1
2014 ($380,000)
2015 ($427,000)
2016 ($484,000)
2017 ($422,000)
2018 ($367,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code to reduce the various fees associated with concealed handgun licenses for certain military veterans, corrections officers, and licensed peace officers.

Specifically, the veteran application fee is reduced by $45 (from $70 to $25); the renewal application fee is reduced by $10 (from $35 to $25); and duplicate or modified license fees are reduced by 50 percent. Under current law, such discharged veterans can apply for an original, duplicate, modified or renewed concealed handgun license at a 50 percent discount from the standard fees.

The bill would allow corrections officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to apply for an original or renewal concealed handgun license for a fee of $25.

The bill would also allow all individuals licensed as peace officers employed by a law enforcement agency to apply for a concealed handgun license for a $25 application fee.  Currently, only full-time peace officers qualify for this condition.


Methodology

The Comptroller of Public Accounts has estimated annual losses in revenues to the General Revenue Fund resulting from the fee reductions in the bill. The Comptroller has noted that the information on concealed handgun licenses was provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety.  

The bill would allow certain veterans to apply for a concealed handgun license for an original and renewal application fee of $25, rather than the current $70 original application fee and $35 renewal fee.  The Comptroller has estimated a loss to the General Revenue Fund of $807,000 in the 2014-15 biennium ($380,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $427,000 in fiscal year 2015). 

The Comptroller notes the fiscal impact for the provisions allowing correctional officers, licensed peace officers who are not full-time and members of Texas military forces to pay a $25 original and renewal fee cannot be determined.  There could be further revenue loss to General Revenue in addition to the estimate used in this fiscal note to the degree correctional officers, part-time law enforcement officers and Texas military members pay the reduced application fee. 


Technology

The technology costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within the Department of Public Safety's current appropriations.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:
UP, ESi, AI, JAW