LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION April 13, 2025 TO: Honorable Will Metcalf, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4895 by Vasut (Relating to certificates of number and certificates of title issued by and records kept by the Parks and Wildlife Department; creating a criminal offense.), As Introduced The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because any fee changes that may be made by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, the number of boat owners that may elect to use a digital records instead of paying for card replacements, the number of offenses that would be committed under new misdemeanors established by the bill, and the number of court cases that would be realized under the new offenses are unknown.This bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code, regarding water safety, to make several changes, including: removing the requirement that amphibious vehicles have a certificate of number; allowing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) to set certain fees greater than $25; changing the timeline to apply for a certificate of title for a vessel or outboard motor from 45 days to 20 days and adding requirements for vessels and motors coming from outside the state primarily operated in Texas waters for the calendar year; requiring the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to issue certificates of title within 20 days after receiving a compliant application; and making it a Class B Parks and Wildlife misdemeanor to intentionally or knowingly not properly retitle a vessel that has hull damage, and making it a Class C Parks and Wildlife misdemeanor to negligently do so.This bill would repeal Sections 31.039(c) and 31.049(b) and (c) of the Parks and Wildlife Code regarding public ownership records and liens on titles, respectively.Based on information provided by the TPWD, it is assumed that any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed using existing resources. According to TPWD, revenue implications cannot be estimated due to unknown fee changes that may be made by the Commission and because the number of boat owners that may elect to use a digital version of Certificate of Number information instead of paying for a replacement card is unknown. Based on information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the revenue implications of this bill cannot be determined because the fee amounts the Commission would be authorized to set, as well as the potential number of new misdemeanors established by the bill are unknown.Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration the bill imposes certain obligations upon the owners and insurers of hull-damaged vessels unless exceptions apply. The bill would create several new offenses for failure to comply with some of these obligations. The offenses would be classified as parks and wildlife misdemeanors of various degrees. Due to the unknown number of offenses, the impact to the state court system cannot be determined at this time.It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant. Local Government ImpactBased on information provided by the Office of Court Administration, the fiscal implications to local court systems cannot be determined at this time. It is assumed that any fiscal impact to units of local government associated with enforcement, prosecution, supervision, or confinement would not be significant. Source Agencies: b > td > 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, TUf, MW, RSTE, FV
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
April 13, 2025
TO: Honorable Will Metcalf, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB4895 by Vasut (Relating to certificates of number and certificates of title issued by and records kept by the Parks and Wildlife Department; creating a criminal offense.), As Introduced
TO: Honorable Will Metcalf, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
FROM: Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB4895 by Vasut (Relating to certificates of number and certificates of title issued by and records kept by the Parks and Wildlife Department; creating a criminal offense.), As Introduced
Honorable Will Metcalf, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Honorable Will Metcalf, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
HB4895 by Vasut (Relating to certificates of number and certificates of title issued by and records kept by the Parks and Wildlife Department; creating a criminal offense.), As Introduced
HB4895 by Vasut (Relating to certificates of number and certificates of title issued by and records kept by the Parks and Wildlife Department; creating a criminal offense.), As Introduced
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because any fee changes that may be made by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, the number of boat owners that may elect to use a digital records instead of paying for card replacements, the number of offenses that would be committed under new misdemeanors established by the bill, and the number of court cases that would be realized under the new offenses are unknown.This bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because any fee changes that may be made by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, the number of boat owners that may elect to use a digital records instead of paying for card replacements, the number of offenses that would be committed under new misdemeanors established by the bill, and the number of court cases that would be realized under the new offenses are unknown.This bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
This bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
The bill would amend the Parks and Wildlife Code, regarding water safety, to make several changes, including: removing the requirement that amphibious vehicles have a certificate of number; allowing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) to set certain fees greater than $25; changing the timeline to apply for a certificate of title for a vessel or outboard motor from 45 days to 20 days and adding requirements for vessels and motors coming from outside the state primarily operated in Texas waters for the calendar year; requiring the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to issue certificates of title within 20 days after receiving a compliant application; and making it a Class B Parks and Wildlife misdemeanor to intentionally or knowingly not properly retitle a vessel that has hull damage, and making it a Class C Parks and Wildlife misdemeanor to negligently do so.This bill would repeal Sections 31.039(c) and 31.049(b) and (c) of the Parks and Wildlife Code regarding public ownership records and liens on titles, respectively.Based on information provided by the TPWD, it is assumed that any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed using existing resources. According to TPWD, revenue implications cannot be estimated due to unknown fee changes that may be made by the Commission and because the number of boat owners that may elect to use a digital version of Certificate of Number information instead of paying for a replacement card is unknown. Based on information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the revenue implications of this bill cannot be determined because the fee amounts the Commission would be authorized to set, as well as the potential number of new misdemeanors established by the bill are unknown.Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration the bill imposes certain obligations upon the owners and insurers of hull-damaged vessels unless exceptions apply. The bill would create several new offenses for failure to comply with some of these obligations. The offenses would be classified as parks and wildlife misdemeanors of various degrees. Due to the unknown number of offenses, the impact to the state court system cannot be determined at this time.It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.
Based on information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the revenue implications of this bill cannot be determined because the fee amounts the Commission would be authorized to set, as well as the potential number of new misdemeanors established by the bill are unknown.Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration the bill imposes certain obligations upon the owners and insurers of hull-damaged vessels unless exceptions apply. The bill would create several new offenses for failure to comply with some of these obligations. The offenses would be classified as parks and wildlife misdemeanors of various degrees. Due to the unknown number of offenses, the impact to the state court system cannot be determined at this time.It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.
Based on information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the revenue implications of this bill cannot be determined because the fee amounts the Commission would be authorized to set, as well as the potential number of new misdemeanors established by the bill are unknown.
Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration the bill imposes certain obligations upon the owners and insurers of hull-damaged vessels unless exceptions apply. The bill would create several new offenses for failure to comply with some of these obligations. The offenses would be classified as parks and wildlife misdemeanors of various degrees. Due to the unknown number of offenses, the impact to the state court system cannot be determined at this time.It is assumed that any impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources would not be significant.
Local Government Impact
Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration, the fiscal implications to local court systems cannot be determined at this time. It is assumed that any fiscal impact to units of local government associated with enforcement, prosecution, supervision, or confinement would not be significant.
Source Agencies: b > td > 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
LBB Staff: b > td > JMc, TUf, MW, RSTE, FV
JMc, TUf, MW, RSTE, FV