Honorable Charles Perry, Chair, Senate Committee on Water & Rural Affairs
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB723 by Larson (Relating to a requirement that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality obtain or develop updated water availability models for certain river basins.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB723, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2021; however, there would be decreases to General Revenue-Dedicated Water Resource Management Account No. 153.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality may, but is not required to, implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that purpose.
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
2020
$0
2021
$0
2022
$0
2023
$0
2024
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from Water Resource Management 153
2020
($2,162,000)
2021
$0
2022
$0
2023
$0
2024
$0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend Texas Water Code, Section 16.012 to require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to obtain or develop updated water availability models for the Brazos, Neches, Red, and Rio Grande River Basins.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
TCEQ's estimates assume that the agency would update the water availability models through a contract, and would include costs of peer review of the work. TCEQ estimates that costs for the contract would total $2,162,000 in fiscal year 2020 that consists of $275,000 for the Brazos River Basin, $484,000 for the Neches River Basin, $633,000 for the Red River Basin, and $770,000 for the Rio Grande River Basin.
This analysis assumes that all other staff related costs necessary to implement the provisions of the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.