Lens on the Legislature: Impact Statements

Last week's Lens on the Legislature (note: you will need to scroll down to view the article) introduced fiscal notes and impact statements and then focused on fiscal notes. This week's focus is on impact statements.

According to the legislative web site an impact statement is created when proposed legislation has an impact on any of the following areas:

Actuarial Impact Statement - Provides estimates for a proposal to change benefits or participation in benefits of a public retirement system or to change the financial obligations of a public retirement system.
Criminal Justice Policy Statement - Provides estimates for a proposal to change sanctions applicable to adults convicted of felony crimes.
Equalized Education Funding Impact Statement - Provides estimates required by Section 314.004 of the Government Code for a proposal to change the public school finance system.
Higher Education Impact Statement - Provides estimates for a proposal to create or change the classification, mission, or governance of an institution of higher education.
Open Government Impact Statement - Provides estimates for a proposal to change public access to government information or to the transaction of public business.
Supplemental Information Regarding Economic Effects of Tax Change - Provides estimates regarding how a proposal's changes in taxes or fees affect the Texas economy.
Tax/Fee Equity Note - Provides estimates regarding how a proposal's increase or decrease in taxes or fees affects taxpayers and the general effects of the proposal on the distribution of tax and fee burdens among individuals and businesses.
Water Development Policy Impact Statement - Provides estimates for a proposal to create a water district under the authority of Article XVI, Section 59, Texas Constitution.

Impact Statements are generally prepared by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) staff, although actuarial impact statements, for example, are prepared by the LBB in coordination with the State Pension Review Board. The impact statements may be as short as a single paragraph.

Impact statements for specific bills can be seen at the bottom of the same screen as was described last week for fiscal notes. Click here, then enter the bill number and click "history." On the following screen click "text" and it will bring up that screen.

In addition to the references listed in last week's Lens on the Legislature regarding fiscal notes, readers who are interested in more details on impact statements may wish to review: