AR HB1322

The Secretary of the Department of Health shall reduce one or more regulatory fees or charges when a board or commission accumulates a fund balance at least 3 times greater than annual average operating expenses, with reductions capped at 95% of the required fee amount.

Reducible fees include license fees, examination fees, assessment rates, renewal fees, application fees, certification fees, inspection fees, permit fees, and other authorized collections, but penalties and fines remain unchanged.

The Secretary must submit written notice to the Chief Fiscal Officer and affected persons specifying which fees are reduced, reduction amounts (rounded to nearest whole dollar), effective dates (not exceeding 1 year or 1 collection cycle), and projected return dates to required amounts.

Reductions may be terminated if the fund balance would fall below 3 times annual operating expenses, requiring approval from the Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee; boards may then collect all or portion of forgone fees with approval.

The Secretary shall report to the Legislative Council during presession budget hearings on current fund balances, average expenditures for the preceding 3 fiscal years, any reductions implemented, and reasons for declining reductions when eligible; the act becomes effective July 1, 2023.