LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session May 4, 2001 TO: Honorable Edmund Kuempel, Chair, House Committee on State Recreational Resources FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB305 by Harris (Relating to the continuation and functions of the Parks and Wildlife Department.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** This bill continues the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for another twelve years. None of the provisions of this bill have significant fiscal implications. Some of the provisions that have fiscal implications are discussed below. Section 15: Requires all TPWD contracts for publications to meet the following conditions: include a termination provision; provide TPWD final approval over publication content, including advertising; and, require a contractor to provide TPWD with copies of publications that contain advertising that is appropriate for viewing by youth upon request. The Parks and Wildlife Commission is required to establish by rule the types of advertising that are appropriate for viewing by youth. Section 24: Requires TPWD to conduct an inventory of all land and water associated with historical, natural, recreational and wildlife sites, and to use it to develop a Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan. This represents an extension of a current strategic planning process for which the agency has already under taken, the contract with Texas Tech University for the 21st Century Parks and Wildlife plan. As a result, this requirement should have no significant fiscal impact on agency resources. Section 25: Requires business planning and improved oversight of TPWD commercial ventures. Based on fiscal year 2000 expenditures, expenditures on commercial ventures total $2.3 million. It is assumed that effective business planning and improved oversight of these ventures generates a cost savings of 10 percent, or $230,000 per year. Based on expenditures for existing commercial ventures, these savings would accrue equally to Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 009, and the State Parks Account No. 064. In order to assist the department in establishing more effective business guidelines for commercial ventures, it is anticipated that outside expertise will be required. The estimated cost of this outside assistance is $100,000. The cost savings generated should be sufficient to offset this additional cost. Section 34: Requires a $3 increase in oyster bed lease rates, from $3 to $6 per acre; caps the oyster lease term at 15 years; and establishes a lease renewal fee of $200. This fee change should generate an additional $6,981 per year to Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9. Technology Impact None. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: 802 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 116 Sunset Advisory Commission LBB Staff: JK, CL, SC, ZS