Texas 2009 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB51 House Committee Report / Fiscal Note

Filed 02/01/2025

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                    LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD    Austin, Texas      FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION            April 8, 2009      TO: Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education      FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board     IN RE:HB51 by Branch ( relating to funding and incentives to support emerging public research universities in developing and maintaining programs of the highest tier.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted   Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB51, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($495,241,426) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011. 

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 8, 2009





  TO: Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education      FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board     IN RE:HB51 by Branch ( relating to funding and incentives to support emerging public research universities in developing and maintaining programs of the highest tier.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted  

TO: Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education
FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB51 by Branch ( relating to funding and incentives to support emerging public research universities in developing and maintaining programs of the highest tier.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

 Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education 

 Honorable Dan Branch, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education 

 John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board

 John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board

HB51 by Branch ( relating to funding and incentives to support emerging public research universities in developing and maintaining programs of the highest tier.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

HB51 by Branch ( relating to funding and incentives to support emerging public research universities in developing and maintaining programs of the highest tier.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB51, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($495,241,426) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011. 

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB51, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($495,241,426) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:  Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds  2010 ($247,643,112)   2011 ($247,598,314)   2012 ($247,598,314)   2013 ($247,598,314)   2014 ($247,598,314)    


2010 ($247,643,112)
2011 ($247,598,314)
2012 ($247,598,314)
2013 ($247,598,314)
2014 ($247,598,314)

 All Funds, Five-Year Impact:  Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1    2010 ($247,643,112)   2011 ($247,598,314)   2012 ($247,598,314)   2013 ($247,598,314)   2014 ($247,598,314)   

  Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) fromGeneral Revenue Fund1    2010 ($247,643,112)   2011 ($247,598,314)   2012 ($247,598,314)   2013 ($247,598,314)   2014 ($247,598,314)  


2010 ($247,643,112)
2011 ($247,598,314)
2012 ($247,598,314)
2013 ($247,598,314)
2014 ($247,598,314)

   Fiscal Year Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009   2010 3.0   2011 3.0   2012 3.0   2013 3.0   2014 3.0   Fiscal Analysis The bill would create three initiatives to support emerging research universities. Currently the seven institutions considered "emerging research universities" are University of Houston, Texas Tech University, University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.  The bill would create the Research University Development Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide funding to eligible institutions for the enhancement of research productivity to enable those institutions to achieve national prominence as major research universities. Under provisions of the bill, the Higher Education Coordinatng Board will distribute any funds appropriated by the legislature among eligible institutions in proportion to the total amount of restricted research funds expended by each institution in the two most recent state fiscal years. The second intiative establishes the Texas Research Incentive Program whereby gifts received by the emerging research universities would be matched with state appropriations if certain conditions are met. The state would match a certain percentage of the total amount of the gift received. The third intiative establishes a National Research University Benchmark Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide funding to incentivize the enhancement of emerging research universities by rewarding those universities that meet critical benchmarks toward achieving national prominence as major research universities.  Methodology The fiscal impact for the bill would be broken down by the three initiatives and administrative costs for the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Research University Development FundIn order to provide a possible impact on the institutions, the Higher Education Coordinating Board has estimated $100 million for each fiscal year would be allocated to the fund. Currently, the emerging institutions, along with other institutions, are apppropriated funding through a similarly named fund, the Research Development Fund. Allocation of this funding is based on restricted research expenditures in the three most recent fiscal years. Since the statutory provisions dealing with the Research Development Fund were not amended by the proposed legislation it is assumed for purposes this fiscal note that these are two separate funds. Texas Research Incentive ProgramBased on information provided by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the fiscal year 2008 total of private gifts reported by emerging research universities that would qualify for a match under the legislation would be approximately $47.3 million per year. For purposes of this fiscal note it is assumed the state would match this amount in fiscal years 2010-2014.National Research University Benchmark FundThe Higher Education Coordinating Board developed a methodology assigning points based upon the criteria mentioned in the bill. Based on this criteria three institutions would receive funding totaling $100 million per year. Administrative CostsAdministrative costs for the Higher Education Coordinating for Salary and benefits for three new program directors is estimated at $267,608 per year in fiscal year 2010 and $232,810 in fiscal year 2011 and subsequent years. Staff travel cost is estimated at $10,000 annually to allow staff and two consultants to monitor the implementation/use of funds distributed through the new grant program. Four site visits per year would be conducted at $2,500 cost for each. Other operating expenses at $5,000 annually would be used to upgrade computer technology software, perhaps with GIS software, to allow greater monitoring and evaluation, and real time updates on new building process/renovation. 

  Fiscal Year Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009   2010 3.0   2011 3.0   2012 3.0   2013 3.0   2014 3.0  


2010 3.0
2011 3.0
2012 3.0
2013 3.0
2014 3.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would create three initiatives to support emerging research universities. Currently the seven institutions considered "emerging research universities" are University of Houston, Texas Tech University, University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.  The bill would create the Research University Development Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide funding to eligible institutions for the enhancement of research productivity to enable those institutions to achieve national prominence as major research universities. Under provisions of the bill, the Higher Education Coordinatng Board will distribute any funds appropriated by the legislature among eligible institutions in proportion to the total amount of restricted research funds expended by each institution in the two most recent state fiscal years. The second intiative establishes the Texas Research Incentive Program whereby gifts received by the emerging research universities would be matched with state appropriations if certain conditions are met. The state would match a certain percentage of the total amount of the gift received. The third intiative establishes a National Research University Benchmark Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide funding to incentivize the enhancement of emerging research universities by rewarding those universities that meet critical benchmarks toward achieving national prominence as major research universities. 

The bill would create three initiatives to support emerging research universities. Currently the seven institutions considered "emerging research universities" are University of Houston, Texas Tech University, University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

The bill would create the Research University Development Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide funding to eligible institutions for the enhancement of research productivity to enable those institutions to achieve national prominence as major research universities. Under provisions of the bill, the Higher Education Coordinatng Board will distribute any funds appropriated by the legislature among eligible institutions in proportion to the total amount of restricted research funds expended by each institution in the two most recent state fiscal years. The second intiative establishes the Texas Research Incentive Program whereby gifts received by the emerging research universities would be matched with state appropriations if certain conditions are met. The state would match a certain percentage of the total amount of the gift received. The third intiative establishes a National Research University Benchmark Fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide funding to incentivize the enhancement of emerging research universities by rewarding those universities that meet critical benchmarks toward achieving national prominence as major research universities. 

Methodology

The fiscal impact for the bill would be broken down by the three initiatives and administrative costs for the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Research University Development FundIn order to provide a possible impact on the institutions, the Higher Education Coordinating Board has estimated $100 million for each fiscal year would be allocated to the fund. Currently, the emerging institutions, along with other institutions, are apppropriated funding through a similarly named fund, the Research Development Fund. Allocation of this funding is based on restricted research expenditures in the three most recent fiscal years. Since the statutory provisions dealing with the Research Development Fund were not amended by the proposed legislation it is assumed for purposes this fiscal note that these are two separate funds. Texas Research Incentive ProgramBased on information provided by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the fiscal year 2008 total of private gifts reported by emerging research universities that would qualify for a match under the legislation would be approximately $47.3 million per year. For purposes of this fiscal note it is assumed the state would match this amount in fiscal years 2010-2014.National Research University Benchmark FundThe Higher Education Coordinating Board developed a methodology assigning points based upon the criteria mentioned in the bill. Based on this criteria three institutions would receive funding totaling $100 million per year. Administrative CostsAdministrative costs for the Higher Education Coordinating for Salary and benefits for three new program directors is estimated at $267,608 per year in fiscal year 2010 and $232,810 in fiscal year 2011 and subsequent years. Staff travel cost is estimated at $10,000 annually to allow staff and two consultants to monitor the implementation/use of funds distributed through the new grant program. Four site visits per year would be conducted at $2,500 cost for each. Other operating expenses at $5,000 annually would be used to upgrade computer technology software, perhaps with GIS software, to allow greater monitoring and evaluation, and real time updates on new building process/renovation.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies: 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration

710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration

LBB Staff: JOB, KK, RT, GO, SSh

 JOB, KK, RT, GO, SSh