LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 22, 2013

TO:	Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2362 by Keffer (Relating to the efficiency review of river authorities.), As Passed 2nd House

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Water Code and the Government Code to establish that a district that is a river authority would be subject to an efficiency review by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB).  The bill would authorize the LBB to periodically review and analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of the policies, management, fiscal affairs, and operations of a river authority.  The bill would require the LBB to report the findings of a review and analysis to the Governor and the Legislature.  The bill would require the LBB to conduct an efficiency review of both the Lower Colorado River Authority and the Brazos River Authority before conducting a review of other river authorities.  The bill also provides confidentiality protections from disclosure until the LBB completes its review and analysis under the provisions of the bill.

 

This analysis assumes there are 16 river authorities based on information available on the Texas Water Development Board website.  This analysis also assumes that all duties and responsibilities required of the LBB to implement the provisions of the bill could be accomplished within existing resources.  In years in which effectiveness and efficiency reviews of river authorities are scheduled, fewer resources would be available to conduct effectiveness and efficiency reviews of other agencies and programs.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

UP, SZ, MW