LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION May 15, 2023 TO: Honorable Charles Schwertner, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4246 by Orr (Relating to delivery of certain unclaimed money for scholarships for rural students, rural economic development, and energy efficiency assistance.), As Engrossed Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4246, As Engrossed : a negative impact of ($12,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025. General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact toGeneral Revenue Related Funds2024($6,000,000)2025($6,000,000)2026($6,000,000)2027($6,000,000)2028($6,000,000)All Funds, Five-Year Impact: Fiscal Year Probable Revenue (Loss) fromGeneral Revenue Fund12024($6,000,000)2025($6,000,000)2026($6,000,000)2027($6,000,000)2028($6,000,000) Fiscal AnalysisThe bill would amend Section 74.3013(f), Property Code, allowing all nonprofit cooperative corporations to transfer up to 50 percent of the total money reported for that year for scholarship funds for rural students, stimulating rural economic development, or providing energy efficiency assistance to members of electric cooperatives, instead of delivering the money to the comptroller as prescribed in Section 74.301, Property Code. It would also eliminate the current $2 million maximum on such transfers. LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 88TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION May 15, 2023 TO: Honorable Charles Schwertner, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4246 by Orr (Relating to delivery of certain unclaimed money for scholarships for rural students, rural economic development, and energy efficiency assistance.), As Engrossed TO: Honorable Charles Schwertner, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4246 by Orr (Relating to delivery of certain unclaimed money for scholarships for rural students, rural economic development, and energy efficiency assistance.), As Engrossed Honorable Charles Schwertner, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce Honorable Charles Schwertner, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board HB4246 by Orr (Relating to delivery of certain unclaimed money for scholarships for rural students, rural economic development, and energy efficiency assistance.), As Engrossed HB4246 by Orr (Relating to delivery of certain unclaimed money for scholarships for rural students, rural economic development, and energy efficiency assistance.), As Engrossed Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4246, As Engrossed : a negative impact of ($12,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025. Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4246, As Engrossed : a negative impact of ($12,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025. General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact: 2024 ($6,000,000) 2025 ($6,000,000) 2026 ($6,000,000) 2027 ($6,000,000) 2028 ($6,000,000) All Funds, Five-Year Impact: 2024 ($6,000,000) 2025 ($6,000,000) 2026 ($6,000,000) 2027 ($6,000,000) 2028 ($6,000,000) Fiscal Analysis The bill would amend Section 74.3013(f), Property Code, allowing all nonprofit cooperative corporations to transfer up to 50 percent of the total money reported for that year for scholarship funds for rural students, stimulating rural economic development, or providing energy efficiency assistance to members of electric cooperatives, instead of delivering the money to the comptroller as prescribed in Section 74.301, Property Code. It would also eliminate the current $2 million maximum on such transfers. Methodology Current law allows electric cooperatives to retain up to $2 million in unclaimed capital credit amounts for the purposes of providing scholarships to rural students, stimulating rural economic development, or providing energy efficiency assistance to co-op members. No more than 20 percent of each nonprofit cooperative's eligible funds may be used for this purpose. This money would otherwise be remitted to the Comptroller as unclaimed property. The Comptroller estimates that increasing the limit from 20 percent to 50 percent and eliminating the $2 million maximum would reduce county transfers to approximately $8 million per fiscal year, while co-ops would retain approximately $13 million per fiscal year. This would generate a net loss to Genera Revenue of $6 million per fiscal year. The Comptroller estimates that increasing the limit from 20 percent to 50 percent and eliminating the $2 million maximum would reduce county transfers to approximately $8 million per fiscal year, while co-ops would retain approximately $13 million per fiscal year. This would generate a net loss to Genera Revenue of $6 million per fiscal year. Local Government Impact County transfers would decrease by $6 million per fiscal year. Source Agencies: b > td > 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, SZ, LCO, CSmi, NV JMc, SZ, LCO, CSmi, NV