LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 4, 2015

TO:
Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1216 by Bettencourt (relating to providing for the review of certain county departments of education by the Sunset Advisory Commission.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1216, 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 Revenue Gain from
Appropriated Receipts
666
Probable (Cost) from
Appropriated Receipts
666
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2015
2016 $217,318 ($217,318) 1.8
2017 $23,257 ($23,257) 0.0
2018 $0 $0 0.0
2019 $0 $0 0.0
2020 $0 $0 0.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Sunset Advisory Commission (SAC) to perform a sunset review of the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) as if the HCDE were scheduled to be abolished on September 1, 2017.  The bill would require the SAC to determine the cost of performing the review and the HCDE to pay the cost incurred by the SAC upon receipt of a statement detailing the cost. 
 
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.  The bill would expire September 1, 2019.

Methodology

This analysis assumes the SAC would conduct the study required by the bill in conjunction with other projects already scheduled for the 2016-17 biennium.  This analysis also assumes the SAC would be reimbursed by the HCDE for performing the review.  The costs and revenue gains from payments to the SAC as a reimbursement for the review are reflected as Appropriated Receipts in the table above.
 
Based on information provided by the SAC, it is assumed that costs of $11,075 would be realized per analyst assigned to a review team for each month required to conduct a review.  The methodology used by the SAC was created based on actual costs incurred for the 2012-13 special purpose review of the Port of Houston Authority and has been updated to reflect current salary and benefits costs.  The amount includes the costs for salaries, benefits, and other operating costs necessary for staff to conduct these reviews except for travel costs.
 
Based on information provided by the SAC, it is assumed that 1.8 Full-Time-Equivalent positions would be needed in fiscal year 2016 for three Analysts to work full time for seven months to complete the review at a total cost of $217,318 in fiscal year 2016 and $23,257 in fiscal year 2017.  These amounts include $8,000 in travel costs in 2016.

Local Government Impact

This analysis assumes the HCDE would realize costs of $217,318 in fiscal year 2016 and $23,257 in fiscal year 2017 in addition to other administrative costs necessary to make information and resources available to the SAC for the review.


Source Agencies:
116 Sunset Advisory Commission, 701 Central Education Agency
LBB Staff:
UP, JBi, MW