Honorable John Frullo, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1565 by Metcalf (Relating to a waiver of certain state park fees for military service members and veterans.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1565, As Introduced: an impact of $0 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
$0
2019
$0
2020
$0
2021
$0
2022
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Revenue (Loss) from State Parks Acct 64
2018
($1,404,000)
2019
($1,424,000)
2020
($1,444,000)
2021
($1,464,000)
2022
($1,483,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend a portion of the Parks and Wildlife Code to allow active duty members and veterans of the US military, the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, or the Texas State Guard to apply for a Texas Parklands Passport.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2017.
Methodology
The Texas Administrative Code requires any applicant who qualifies for a Parklands Passport to receive one at no cost, granting unlimited entry to state parks.
Based upon information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, this analysis assumes that US and Texas military veterans constitute 5.4 percent of paid state parks visitors each fiscal year. This number excludes qualified disabled military veterans who qualify for Parklands Passports under current law. Park visitation revenue totaled $25,020,055 in 2016, and this analysis assumes a revenue loss of 5.4 percent of 2016 park visitation revenues each fiscal year. This analysis assumes annual increases in the eligible population above the 2016 population, resulting in increasing revenue losses each fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department