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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 13, 2017 04:17 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative David H. Zimmerman and Rep. Brett R. Miller |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Fees, fines, and penalties to the General Fund |
| Many executive branch agencies, departments, and boards assess a multitude of fees, fines, and penalties in enforcing acts for which they have oversight. The money obtained from these fees is often deposited in specific accounts designated for funding each department’s activities. This system incentivizes agencies to assess as many of these fees as possible, regardless of whether these fees are actually necessary or fair. In fact, these fees often make up a significant portion of the assessing department’s budget. Our legislation would amend the Fiscal Code to require that all fees, fines, and penalties imposed by state agencies, departments, and boards be deposited in the General Fund. This will remove these agencies’ incentive to impose excessive and unnecessary fees on constituents and businesses throughout the state, and will restore the responsibility for funding these state agencies with the General Assembly as part of the legislative budgetary process. Please join us in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation to reduce the financial burden of excessive fees, fines, and penalties on our citizens and businesses and hold agencies and departments accountable by eliminating their incentive to raise fees, fines, and penalties. |
Introduced as HB1743