Honorable Ryan Guillen, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB659 by Raymond (relating to the waiver of state park, museum, and other state-operated facility entrance fees for persons with certain disabilities.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend portions of the Government Code and Parks and Wildlife Code to waive state park, museum, and other state-operated facility entrance fees for persons with certain disabilities. The bill would require the Historical Commission (THC) and Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), in consultation with the Health and Human Services Commission, to waive all associated entrance fees for a person with an intellectual or developmental disability and a paid caretaker.
Based on information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the bill could reduce revenue to General Revenue and the State Parks Account No. 64 and by a minimal amount. Based on information provided by TPWD, there were 8,261,542 visits to State Parks, Historic Sites, and Natural Areas in fiscal year 2014 and revenue from entrance fees totaled $22,802,489, for an average revenue amount per visitor of $2.76. Based on information provided by THC, entrance fee revenue from THC-operated Historic Sites in 2014 totaled $1,224,506.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department, 808 Historical Commission