LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 22, 2021

TO:	Honorable Terry Canales, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB520 by Beckley (Relating to the regulation by the Texas Department of Transportation of right-of-way landscaping installed by utilities.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to adopt rules to require a utility that disturbs the right-of-way of a state highway while constructing or maintaining a utility facility in the right-of-way to install, at the utility's expense, plants that are native and meet specifications required by the bill. The bill would authorize TxDOT to consult with the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of implementing the provisions of the bill.

Based on the information provided by TxDOT, it is assumed any costs or duties associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within the agency's existing resources.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

551 Department of Agriculture, 601 Department of Transportation

LBB Staff:

JMc, AAL, MB, TG