HB1322

House Bill 1322 requires the Secretaries of the Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Licensing to reduce regulatory fees and charges for boards and commissions under their administrative oversight if those entities accumulate a fund balance at least three times greater than their average annual operating expenses. The bill outlines that these reductions, which can include license, examination, application, and permit fees, should not exceed 95% of the original cost and are designed to prevent the over-collection of funds. It provides specific criteria for determining when such reductions are appropriate, including exceptions for planned capital projects. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements for the Secretaries to the Legislative Council and provides a mechanism to terminate reductions if the fund balance drops below the threshold or if financial circumstances change. Penalties and fines assessed by these boards are explicitly excluded from these reductions. The act also contains an emergency clause to ensure immediate implementation.