Honorable John Frullo, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1567 by Metcalf (Relating to a fee waiver for a combination resident hunting and fishing license for certain military personnel.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1567, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2019.
In addition to the cost to Account 9 identified below, the bill could have a negative, but indeterminate, fiscal impact to the state because the number of paid hunting and fishing licenses in a state partially determines the distribution of Sportfish Restoration and Wildlife Restoration federal funds.
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 Game,Fish,Water Safety Ac 9
2018
($13,834,000)
2019
($14,062,000)
2020
($14,289,000)
2021
($14,514,000)
2022
($14,739,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend a portion of the Parks and Wildlife Code to allow the Parks and Wildlife Commission to waive the fee for a combination hunting and fishing license for all resident active duty members or veterans of the US military.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Legislature; otherwise it would take effect September 1, 2017.
Methodology
This analysis assumes that the Parks and Wildlife Commission would waive the fee for combination hunting and fishing licenses for veterans and active duty members of the US military. Under current law, senior citizens age 65 and over are eligible for discounted combination hunting and fishing licenses, and qualified disabled military veterans are exempted from the fee on a Super Combo license, which includes hunting and fishing licenses and all additional stamps and endorsements. Based upon information provided by the Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Comptroller of Public Accounts, 33 percent of eligible disabled military veterans applied for a free Super Combo license in 2016. This analysis assumes the same percentage of non-disabled veterans and active-duty military members would apply for a free license under the provisions of the bill, for a total of 251,202 eligible veterans under the age of 65 and 175,287 veterans age 65 and over in 2016. TPWD offers a range of combination hunting and fishing license packages, and this analysis assumes an average value for the eligible population to be $39.38 each fiscal year for veterans under age 65 and $19.89 for veterans age 65 and over. This analysis assumes annual increases in the eligible population above the 2016 population, resulting in increasing revenue losses each fiscal year.
Based on information provided by TPWD, the number of paid hunting and fishing licenses in a state partially determine the distribution of Sportfish Restoration and Wildlife Restoration federal funds. Implementing the provisions of the bill could have an indeterminate impact on the receipt of those funds.
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