LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 85TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 5, 2017

TO:
Honorable Kelly Hancock, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB2005 by Watson (Relating to the transfer of jurisdiction over and management of the property known as the French Legation to the Texas Historical Commission and to certain historic sites under the commission's jurisdiction.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB2005, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: 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 ($444,894)
2021 ($444,894)
2022 ($444,894)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2017
2018 $0 0.0
2019 $0 0.0
2020 ($444,894) 5.0
2021 ($444,894) 5.0
2022 ($444,894) 5.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code to transfer all powers and duties, state-owned assets, files and other records, and funds appropriated relating to the French Legation historic site from the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) and from the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to the Texas Historical Commission (THC) effective September 1, 2017. Section 442.076 as amended by the bill would make THC responsible for the preservation, maintenance, and restoration of the site and its contents and for the preservation of historic and architectural integrity of the interior, exterior, and grounds. To carry out these new duties, the bill would grant THC authority to solicit and accept gifts, donations, and grants of money or property from any public or private source. During the 2018-19 biennium, the bill would require THC to carry out these duties using only gifts, grants, or donations from public or private sources.

The bill would also transfer any money held in trust by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas related to the French Legation site to THC effective September 1, 2017. Additionally, the bill would allow the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to transfer any property or fixtures at the French Legation site to THC. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2017.

Methodology

THC assumes it would require $444,894 and 5.0 FTEs annually beginning in fiscal year 2020 to implement the provisions of the bill. Currently, TFC does not expend any funds to manage the French Legation site, so costs associated with duties transferred to THC under the bill would represent new costs to the State. 

Due to the requirement that THC expend only funds raised from outside sources to manage the French Legation site during the 2018-19 biennium, the agency assumes the State would only begin to incur costs related to site operations beginning in fiscal year 2020. From 2020 forward, THC assumes it would require 5.0 FTEs to manage the site, including one Program Supervisor III ($65,000 annual salary), one Administrative Assistant IV ($42,000 annual salary), one Program Specialist II ($52,000 annual salary), one Customer Service Representative II ($34,000 annual salary), and one Maintenance Specialist IV ($38,000 annual salary). Staff benefit costs would total $84,592 per year.

THC assumes other annual costs to operate the site beginning in fiscal year 2020 would include travel, consumable supplies, advertising, contracted services, utilities, non-capital minor maintenance funds, temporary staffing for special events, gift shop merchandise costs, equipment and furniture rental for special events, IT costs for website and DCS Office 365, training, and other operating expenses. THC assumes these costs would total $29,300 for professional services, $1,965 for travel, $28,500 for utilities, $17,500 for non-capital minor maintenance expenses and $52,037 for other operating expenses.

Technology

This analysis assumes annual technology costs would include $1,200 for website hosting and maintenance and $837 for DCS Office 365 licensing.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
808 Historical Commission, 303 Facilities Commission
LBB Staff:
UP, ASa, CL, NV