83(R) HB 1937 - Introduced version

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


April 8, 2013

TO:	Honorable Ryan Guillen, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism

FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	HB1937 by Farney (Relating to exempting residents who are at least 65 years of age from paying certain parks and wildlife fees.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1937, As Introduced: an impact of $0 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2014	$0
2015	$0
2016	$0
2017	$0
2018	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Revenue (Loss) from Game,Fish,Water Safety Ac 9	Probable Revenue (Loss) from State Parks Acct 64
2014	($3,616,895)	($156,695)
2015	($3,616,895)	($156,695)
2016	($3,616,895)	($156,695)
2017	($3,616,895)	($156,695)
2018	($3,616,895)	($156,695)

The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code to waive the fee for park entrance and hunting and fishing licenses for residents 65 years and older. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) indicates bill provisions would result in revenue losses to the General Revenue-Dedicated Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9 and the State Parks Account No. 64.

The bill would take immediate effect if the bill receives two-thirds vote in both houses. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2013.

Revenue Loss - Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9:

Currently, TPWD offers a senior resident fishing and hunting licenses to residents aged 65 and over. Also, fishing license fees are waived for residents born before 1931.

Revenue from the affected population in fiscal year 2012 totaled $3,716,616 and was as follows:
$1,660,352 = 51,886 senior super combo licenses (hunting/fishing and all stamps) (@ $32);
$636,174 = 28,917 all water (@ $22);
$617,580 = 51,465 senior freshwater fishing (@ $12);
$269,664 = 16,854 senior combo hunting and freshwater fishing (@ $16);
$217,464 = 12,792 saltwater (@ $17);
$181,748 = 25,964 general senior hunting licenses (@ $7);
$116,246 = 4,471 senior combo hunting and all water fishing (@$26); and,
$17,388 = 828 senior combo hunting and saltwater fishing (@ $21)

Assuming these trends continue for fiscal year 2014 and each year thereafter, the annual revenue loss to the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account is anticipated to be $3,716,616; however, this revenue loss would be offset by a revenue gain from those seniors who formerly purchased a “super-combo license,” which is a hunting and fishing license plus all available stamps. In fiscal year 2012, 51,886 seniors purchased a “super-combo license.” TPWD estimates seniors would continue to purchase certain hunting stamps --archery, upland game bird, and migratory bird --to add other hunting privileges to the free hunting and fishing license: 14,103 stamp purchases (@ $7) = $98,721.

Together, revenue losses and gain for the Game, Fish and Water Safety Account would be $3,616,895 in fiscal year 2014 and each year thereafter.

Revenue Loss - State Parks Account:

TPWD waives the entrance fee for a Texas resident born before September 1, 1930 and discounts entrance fees by 50 percent for residents with a state Parkland Passport (available to residents when they reach age 65).

In fiscal year 2012, TPWD reports there were approximately 63,957 park entrances using the Parkland Passport. TPWD indicates the weighted average entrance fee was $4.89 per visit, or $2.45 per visit with the 50 percent discount. Accordingly, the total estimated revenue loss to the State Parks Account would be $156,695 per fiscal year (63,957 * $2.45).

Also, in fiscal year 2014, TPWD indicates waiving state park entrance fees for residents ages 65 and older would require minimal costs for reprogramming to the parks reservation system and minimal costs for revisions to the Parkland Passport cards in circulation. This analysis assumes such costs could be reasonably absorbed within the TPWD's existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.