LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 31, 2015 TO: Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock FROM: Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:HB798 by González, Mary (Relating to the sale or transportation of certain desert plants; creating an offense and providing penalties; providing authority to impose a fee.), As Introduced No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would amend the Agriculture Code relating to the sale or transportation of desert plants and would require the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to adopt rules necessary to enforce the provisions of the bill. The bill would require persons engaged in the sale or transportation of certain desert plants to register with TDA and enter into a compliance agreement. Under provisions of the bill, TDA could assess a registration and compliance agreement fee. Finally, the bill provides for a penalty should a person commit an offense as defined by the bill. According to both the Comptroller of Public Accounts and TDA, the number of persons that would be required to register with the agency under provisions of the bill is unknown and potential fee revenue cannot be estimated at this time. Additionally, revenues from penalties provided by the bill cannot be determined. TDA indicated minimal rulemaking costs for fiscal year 2016 and ongoing costs for compliance monitoring to implement provisions of the bill. This estimate assumes the agency could absorb these costs within existing resources, and no significant fiscal impact to the state is anticipated. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies:304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 551 Department of Agriculture LBB Staff: UP, SZ, MW, TB, JP LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 31, 2015 TO: Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock FROM: Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:HB798 by González, Mary (Relating to the sale or transportation of certain desert plants; creating an offense and providing penalties; providing authority to impose a fee.), As Introduced TO: Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock FROM: Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB798 by González, Mary (Relating to the sale or transportation of certain desert plants; creating an offense and providing penalties; providing authority to impose a fee.), As Introduced Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board HB798 by González, Mary (Relating to the sale or transportation of certain desert plants; creating an offense and providing penalties; providing authority to impose a fee.), As Introduced HB798 by González, Mary (Relating to the sale or transportation of certain desert plants; creating an offense and providing penalties; providing authority to impose a fee.), As Introduced No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would amend the Agriculture Code relating to the sale or transportation of desert plants and would require the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to adopt rules necessary to enforce the provisions of the bill. The bill would require persons engaged in the sale or transportation of certain desert plants to register with TDA and enter into a compliance agreement. Under provisions of the bill, TDA could assess a registration and compliance agreement fee. Finally, the bill provides for a penalty should a person commit an offense as defined by the bill. According to both the Comptroller of Public Accounts and TDA, the number of persons that would be required to register with the agency under provisions of the bill is unknown and potential fee revenue cannot be estimated at this time. Additionally, revenues from penalties provided by the bill cannot be determined. TDA indicated minimal rulemaking costs for fiscal year 2016 and ongoing costs for compliance monitoring to implement provisions of the bill. This estimate assumes the agency could absorb these costs within existing resources, and no significant fiscal impact to the state is anticipated. The bill would amend the Agriculture Code relating to the sale or transportation of desert plants and would require the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to adopt rules necessary to enforce the provisions of the bill. The bill would require persons engaged in the sale or transportation of certain desert plants to register with TDA and enter into a compliance agreement. Under provisions of the bill, TDA could assess a registration and compliance agreement fee. Finally, the bill provides for a penalty should a person commit an offense as defined by the bill. According to both the Comptroller of Public Accounts and TDA, the number of persons that would be required to register with the agency under provisions of the bill is unknown and potential fee revenue cannot be estimated at this time. Additionally, revenues from penalties provided by the bill cannot be determined. TDA indicated minimal rulemaking costs for fiscal year 2016 and ongoing costs for compliance monitoring to implement provisions of the bill. This estimate assumes the agency could absorb these costs within existing resources, and no significant fiscal impact to the state is anticipated. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 551 Department of Agriculture 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 551 Department of Agriculture LBB Staff: UP, SZ, MW, TB, JP UP, SZ, MW, TB, JP