LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 3, 2007

TO:
Honorable Frank Corte, Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense Affairs & State-Federal Relations
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB233 by Ritter (Relating to a waiver of concealed handgun license fees for certain members and veterans of the military.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB233, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($889,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.

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
2008 ($441,000)
2009 ($448,000)
2010 ($450,000)
2011 ($479,000)
2012 ($559,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1 		Probable (Cost) from
STATE HIGHWAY FUND
6 		Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2007
2008 ($441,000) ($103,022) 2.0
2009 ($448,000) ($68,800) 2.0
2010 ($450,000) ($68,800) 2.0
2011 ($479,000) ($68,800) 2.0
2012 ($559,000) ($68,800) 2.0

 


Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code relating to a waiver of concealed handgun license fees for certain members and veterans of the military.

The bill would amend the Government Code, Section 411.1951 by further defining the term "veteran" and would waive any fee required for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed concealed handgun license if the person is a veteran of the United States armed forces including the reserves, national guard, or state guard. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2007.


Methodology

To determine the estimated fiscal impact of waiving fees required for the issuance of an original, duplicate, modified, or renewed concealed handgun license if the applicant is a member of the United States armed forces, the Comptroller of Public Accounts assumed that 11.2 percent of current licenses belong to veterans. Revenue losses in this analysis are higher than in previous similar fiscal note estimates because the waiver of all fees collected means the fiscal impact must recognize the loss of application and fee revenues collected from new applications and higher renewal rates as a response to the reduction in fees from previous legislation.

 

The Department of Public Safety states that two full-time-equivalent positions would be needed to process the additional applications and renewals.  Appropriations for the concealed handgun function within the DPS are currently made from the State Highway Fund and costs associated with the processing of additional applications and renewals are attributed to this fund.


Technology

The Department of Public Safety technology impact for fiscal year 2008 is estimated at $22,920 and includes two computers and printers, software costs, and database program modifications.  The software costs will continue through subsequent years and are estimated at $298 per year.

Local Government Impact

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


Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 405 Department of Public Safety
LBB Staff:
JOB, ES, GG, LG