LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 85TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 23, 2017

TO:
Honorable Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor, Senate
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1781 by West (Relating to the regulation of certain degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; providing administrative penalties.), As Passed 2nd House



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1781, As Passed 2nd House: a negative impact of ($495,686) through the biennium ending August 31, 2019. The agency is not required to implement the legislation in the absence of an appropriation.

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 ($255,343)
2019 ($240,343)
2020 ($240,343)
2021 ($240,343)
2022 ($240,343)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
2018 ($255,343)
2019 ($240,343)
2020 ($240,343)
2021 ($240,343)
2022 ($240,343)



Fiscal Year Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2017
2018 3.0
2019 3.0
2020 3.0
2021 3.0
2022 3.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Education Code as it relates to the regulation of certain degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (Board). Under provisions of the bill, the Board could maintain a repository for academic records from closed institutions that were exempt or were authorized to operate under a certificate of authorization or certificate of authority. The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.

The bill would amend Education Codes as it relates to the development of transferable degree or certificate program curricula for which qualified veterans or military service members may be awarded course credit based on military service for the College Credit for Heroes Program.
 
Under provisions of the bill, the Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations act of the 85th Legislature.

Methodology

For purposes of this fiscal note it is assumed the Higher Education Coordinating Board would maintain the repository. Based on information provided by the agency, three additional FTEs, two program directors and one program specialist, would be needed to create and maintain the repository. The total costs for these three FTEs, including salaries and wages, retirement and other costs would be $255,343 in fiscal year 2018 and $240,343 in fiscal year 2019 and subsequent years. Senate Bill 1 as Engrossed includes $500,000 for the 2018-19 biennium for this program.

Based on the analysis provided by institutions of higher education, the Texas Veterans Commission, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board, it is assumed that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill relating to the College Credit for Heroes program could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources

Under provisions of the bill, the Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations act of the 85th Legislature.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
320 Texas Workforce Commission, 403 Veterans Commission, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration
LBB Staff:
UP, THo, DEH, GO