HLS 20RS-865 REENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 498
BY REPRESENTATIVES EMERSON, AMEDEE, BAGLEY, BEAULLIEU, GARY
CARTER, ROBBY CARTER, DEVILLIER, DESHOTEL, DUBUISSON,
FREEMAN, FRIEMAN, GREEN, HARRIS, HORTON, MIKE JOHNSON,
MCCORMICK, MIGUEZ, MOORE, SELDERS, THOMPSON, AND WHITE
LICENSING: Provides relative to occupational license and examination fee waiver and
payment plan for qualified individuals
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 37:23.4, 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; to provide
4 for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 37:23.4 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง23.4. 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 the requirements of either Paragraph (1) or (2) of this Subsection.
11 (1) Receives public assistance including, but not limited to the following:
12 (a) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
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, unless the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HB NO. 498
1 applicant has been in an undergraduate or graduate school full time and unable to
2 work.
3 (3) The licensing board shall inform applicants that they may be eligible for
4 a fee waiver by placing notification on the licensing application. In addition to
5 stating that the applicant may be eligible for a fee waiver if he meets certain criteria,
6 the notification is also to include instructions on how the applicant may request
7 further information.
8 B.(1) Licensing boards shall provide payment plans in lieu of full license and
9 examination fee payments for initial applications and examinations to all individuals
10 who apply, except for an individual who applies for a certificate of license who
11 would otherwise be unqualified pursuant to this Title.
12 (2) Total fees paid by payment plans shall not exceed the amount an
13 individual paying the full examination and licensing fee would otherwise pay.
14 (3) An individual who has been provided a payment plan shall have twelve
15 months, from the date of the first scheduled payment, to pay the account in full. A
16 failure to remit payment in full within the allotted twelve-month period, may result
17 in the individual being denied a renewal of their license.
18 C. The provisions of this Section shall only apply to licensing agencies who
19 directly administer their own examinations.
20 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on June 30, 2021.
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 Reengrossed 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.
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HB NO. 498
(2)Earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, unless the applicant
has been in an undergraduate or graduate school full time and therefore unable to
work.
Proposed law requires licensing boards to inform applicants that they may be eligible for a
fee waiver by placing notification on the application, and to provide instructions on how the
applicant can request further information.
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.
Proposed law requires an individual who has been provided a payment plan to pay the
account in full within 12 months of the first scheduled payment; failure to remit payment in
full within the 12-month period may result in denial of license renewal for the individual.
Proposed law only applies to licensing agencies who directly administer their own
examinations.
Effective June 30, 2021.
(Adds R.S. 37:23.4)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Commerce to the
original bill:
1. Add an exception for applicants who have been in an undergraduate or graduate
school full time and unable to work.
2. Require the licensing board to place notification on their application, in order to
make applicants aware that they may qualify for a fee waiver.
3. Require applicants who are on a payment plan to pay off the account within 12
months of the initial scheduled payment or risk being denied a renewal of their
license.
4. Limit the applicability of the proposed law to licensing boards who directly
administer their own examinations.
5. Add an effective date of June 30, 2021.
6. Make technical changes.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Make technical changes.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.