HB 296 Summary

• Establishes a requirement for the Office of Legislative Analyst to produce fiscal notes on all fiscal bills before measures are recommended for passage by committees.

• Restructures the Office of Legislative Analyst to be appointed by the legislature through majority vote of each house in joint session, rather than by committee, with salary matched to the director of the legislative reference bureau.

• Authorizes the legislative analyst to hire a first assistant and other necessary employees to support fiscal note preparation and analysis functions.

• Mandates fiscal notes include dollar amounts of effects, affected statutory provisions, revenue and expenditure estimates, absorption costs, cost assumptions, and long-range implications, with copies distributed to relevant committee chairs and bill introducers.

• Prohibits committees from making decisions on fiscal bills without first receiving and reviewing a completed fiscal note, and requires fiscal notes be made public as attachments to standing committee reports.

• Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 for the Office of Legislative Analyst operations and staffing.

• Takes effect July 1, 2025.