HLS 20RS-865 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 498
BY REPRESENTATIVE EMERSON
LICENSING: Provides relative to occupational license and examination fee waiver and
payment plan for qualified individuals
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 37:23.3, relative to occupational licensing fees; to provide for waiver of fees;
3 to provide for criteria; to provide for payment plans; to provide fee limits; and to
4 provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 37:23.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง23.3. Waiver of licensing fees; payment plans
8 A. Licensing boards shall waive any fee charged for an initial license or
9 examination to any individual who is otherwise qualified to receive a license and
10 meets either of the following requirements:
11 (1) Receives public assistance including, but not limited to the following:
12 (a) Food stamps.
13 (b) Temporary assistance for needy families.
14 (c) Medicaid.
15 (d) Disability insurance.
16 (e) Resides in public housing.
17 (2) Earns less than two hundred percent of the current federal poverty
18 guidelines as established by the federal office of management and budget.
19 B.(1) Licensing boards shall provide payment plans in lieu of full license and
20 examination fee payments for initial applications and examinations to all individuals
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-865 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 498
1 who apply, except for an individual who applies for a certificate of license who
2 would otherwise be unqualified pursuant to this Title.
3 (2) Total fees paid by payment plans shall not exceed the amount an
4 individual paying the full examination and licensing fee would otherwise pay.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 498 Original 2020 Regular Session Emerson
Abstract: Requires licensing boards to waive fees to applicants who meet certain criteria
and to offer payment plans.
Proposed law requires licensing boards to waive certain fees for applicants who meet either
of the following criteria:
(1)Receiving public assistance.
(2)Earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
Proposed law requires licensing boards to offer payment plans to all qualified applicants.
Proposed law stipulates that fees paid by the payment plans are not to exceed the amount of
fees charged for applicants paying the full price of exam or licensing.
(Adds R.S. 37:23.3)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.