Honorable Phil King, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB621 by Leach (Relating to requirements for certain applicants to obtain an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun; waiving a fee.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB621, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($385,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2019.
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
2018
($220,000)
2019
($165,000)
2020
($245,000)
2021
($165,000)
2022
($220,000)
Fiscal Year
Probable Revenue (Loss) from General Revenue Fund 1
2018
($220,000)
2019
($165,000)
2020
($245,000)
2021
($165,000)
2022
($220,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Department of Public Safety to establish procedures for the submission of legible and classifiable fingerprints by an applicant for a license to carry a handgun (LTC) who is a former reserve law enforcement officer and for certain members of Texas military forces. The bill would also exempt an applicant for an LTC who is a peace officer from completing a handgun proficiency course. The bill would waive the fee for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed LTC for a peace officer.
The bill would also require DPS to adopt rules regarding the application for an LTC by a person who is a member of the Texas military forces, other than a member of the Texas State Guard who is serving in the Texas Legislature.
This analysis assumes administrative duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Methodology
The current fee for a peace officer is $25. Since the bill would eliminate the fee for an applicant for an LTC who is a peace officer, it is assumed that DPS would incur a cost to its General Revenue Funds to pay for the program. It is assumed that this cost could be absorbed within existing resources.
The Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates a revenue loss of $220,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $165,000 in fiscal year 2019 to General Revenue Fund 01.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 405 Department of Public Safety