Honorable Jim Keffer, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3340 by Bohac (relating to the administration and implementation of the Flood Control and Insurance Act; adding provisions subject to a civil or criminal penalty and affecting the prosecution of a criminal offense.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3340, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
$0
2017
$0
2018
$0
2019
$0
2020
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Floodplain Management Account
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2015
2016
($316,867)
2.0
2017
($248,067)
2.0
2018
($248,067)
2.0
2019
($248,067)
2.0
2020
($248,067)
2.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require each city and county to designate a floodplain administrator (FPA). The bill would require the FPA to be certified by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). TWDB would also be responsible for developing accreditation standards as well as training and/or continuing education (CE) requirements. The bill would also provide for the TWDB to use the Floodplain Management Account (Other Funds) to provide initial or continuing education or training in order for floodplain administrators to obtain or maintain accreditation
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
Methodology
The TWDB would incur costs in establishing accreditation criteria and determining which cities and counties do not have an accredited FPA. Additionally, TWDB would have to establish training requirements and ensure training to meet the continuing education requirement of six hours on an annual basis for approximately 1,470 FPAs throughout the state. TWDB would need to adopt rules to implement and enforce the accreditation and CE requirements.
This estimate assumes that TWDB would require 2.0 additional FTEs to implement the provisions of the bill. In the first year of implementation, the agency would incur start-up costs including the acquisition of laptops, projectors, and other training equipment and materials. Administrative costs to the agency are estimated at $316,867 in fiscal year 2016 and $248,067 in future years. Because the bill provides for the Floodplain Management Account to be used for education and training, this estimate assumes that funds would be appropriated from that account for this purpose.
Local Government Impact
Cities and counties would incur costs in meeting the bill's training requirements for FPAs. TWDB estimates the statewide cost at $855,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $555,000 in future fiscal years.
El Paso County reported no fiscal impact is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
580 Water Development Board, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts