Bill > HB605

This bill establishes a new law allowing the Department of Energy and Natural Resources to charge an expedited processing fee for applicants requesting faster review of their submissions. The fee will be calculated based on the direct costs incurred during the expedited review, including overtime hours for employees at a rate up to 1.5 times their standard hourly wage. Additionally, the department can assess an administrative surcharge of up to 20% of the total overtime cost, with a minimum charge of $500. The bill specifies that the fee does not cover additional mailing or shipping costs beyond the department's standard service, which would be the applicant's responsibility. Importantly, the expedited processing fee will be waived if the need for expedited processing is solely due to an error, mistake, or delay caused by the department itself. This legislation provides a clear mechanism for recovering the costs associated with prioritizing and accelerating administrative processing while also protecting applicants from being charged for departmental inefficiencies.