COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. No.: 2796-04

Bill No.: Perfected SCS for SB 878

Subject: Education - Elementary and Secondary; Public Service Commission; Utilities

Type: Original

Date: March 3, 2004




FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUND
FUND AFFECTED FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007
Total Estimated

Net Effect on

General Revenue

Fund

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

State Funds

$0 $0 $0



Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 4 pages.













ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007
Local Government $0 $0 to Unknown $0 to Unknown


FISCAL ANALYSIS



ASSUMPTION



Officials of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DES) assumes this legislation would not fiscally impact their agency. DES indicated 81 school districts involving 1,303 buildings participate in aggregate purchases of natural gas; however, due to time constraints, they could not provide the probable savings which may result from extending the authority under the proposed section for another two years. DES assumes an unknown savings to local funds.



Officials of the Department of Economic Development - Public Service Commission (PSC) state this bill would extend the effective period of a current natural gas school aggregation program to June 30, 2007 (currently expires on June 30, 2005). PSC notes that current efforts related to this statue have included several meetings, tariff filings, testimony filings, discovery, litigation and hearings. PSC is not requesting additional resources due to this proposal.



Officials of the Department of Economic Development - Office of the Public Counsel (OPC) state although this bill has some impact on OPC, OPC should be able to absorb the changes; however, if the requirements of this bill are combined with additional requirements or changes OPC may incur a fiscal impact.



Oversight assumes this proposal could result in a reduction in natural gas prices for schools. The amount of savings is unknown, but could exceed $100,000.









FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2005

(10 Mo.)

FY 2006 FY 2007
$0 $0 $0





FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 2005

(10 Mo.)

FY 2006 FY 2007
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Savings - Reduced Natural Gas Costs $0 $0 to Unknown $0 to Unknown
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT* $0 $0 to UNKNOWN $0 to UNKNOWN
*Estimated to exceed $100,000 annually





FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business



Natural gas businesses could be affected competitively by this proposal.





DESCRIPTION



This proposal includes language that extends the experimental tariffs already set in place by the Public Service Commission to coincide with the extended termination date. The termination date for the experimental tariff program has been extended to June 30, 2007, two years after its original termination date.



This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.













SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Department of Economic Development

Public Service Commission

Office of the Public Counsel

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education









Mickey Wilson, CPA

Director

March 3, 2004