LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 24, 2013

TO:
Honorable Tommy Williams, Chair, Senate Committee on Finance
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB46 by Zaffirini (Relating to exempting books purchased, used, or consumed by university and college students from the sales and use tax for a limited period.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB46, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($62,300,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2015, if the effective date of the bill is July 1, 2013; or a negative impact of ($47,800,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2015, if the effective date of the bill is October 1, 2013.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2013 ($2,200,000)
2014 ($29,600,000)
2015 ($30,500,000)
2016 ($31,400,000)
2017 ($32,400,000)
2018 ($33,400,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2014 ($17,300,000)
2015 ($30,500,000)
2016 ($31,400,000)
2017 ($32,400,000)
2018 ($33,400,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue (Loss) from
General Revenue Fund
1 		Probable Revenue (Loss) from
Cities		 Probable Revenue (Loss) from
Transit Authorities		 Probable Revenue (Loss) from
Counties and Special Districts
2013 ($2,200,000) $0 $0 $0
2014 ($29,600,000) ($5,500,000) ($1,900,000) ($900,000)
2015 ($30,500,000) ($5,600,000) ($1,900,000) ($1,000,000)
2016 ($31,400,000) ($5,800,000) ($2,000,000) ($1,000,000)
2017 ($32,400,000) ($6,000,000) ($2,000,000) ($1,000,000)
2018 ($33,400,000) ($6,200,000) ($2,100,000) ($1,000,000)

The above table assumes an effective date of July 1, 2013.  The table below assumes an effective date of October 1, 2013.



Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
General Revenue Fund
1 		Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
Cities		 Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
Transit Authorities		 Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
Counties and Special Districts
2014 ($17,300,000) ($3,200,000) ($1,100,000) ($500,000)
2015 ($30,500,000) ($5,600,000) ($1,900,000) ($1,000,000)
2016 ($31,400,000) ($5,800,000) ($2,000,000) ($1,000,000)
2017 ($32,400,000) ($6,000,000) ($2,000,000) ($1,000,000)
2018 ($33,400,000) ($6,200,000) ($2,100,000) ($1,000,000)

Fiscal Analysis

This bill would amend Chapter 151 of the Tax Code, to exempt books from the sales tax when purchased by a student enrolled at a Texas institution of higher education and the sale takes place within a specified 10-day period each January and August.

A person could establish eligibility for the exemption by presenting a valid student identification card. The Comptroller would by rule prescribe electronic means for establishing eligibility for online purchases.

The bill would take effect July 1, 2013, assuming that it received the requisite two-thirds majority votes in both houses of the Legislature. Otherwise, it would take effect October 1, 2013.


Methodology

Data on higher education enrollment from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, on average annual college student expenditures for required course materials from the National Association of College Stores, and data from college bookstores in Comptroller tax files were used to estimate college textbook expenditures. Estimated book sales were adjusted for the exemption period; multiplied by the sales tax rate; adjusted for potential effective dates for the bill of July 1, 2013, and October 1, 2013; and extrapolated through fiscal 2018. Fiscal implications for units of local government were estimated proportionally.

There would be no impact on local governments in fiscal 2013 because August sales tax collections remitted to the Comptroller are not allocated to the local jurisdictions until the next fiscal year.


Local Government Impact

There would be a proportional loss of sales and use tax revenue to local taxing jurisdictions.


Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:
UP, KK, SD