The Florida Senate

397.407  Licensure fees.--

(1)  The department shall establish licensure fees by rule. The rule must prescribe a fee range that is based, at least in part, on the number and complexity of programs listed in s. 397.311(19) which are operated by a licensee. The fee range must be implemented over a 5-year period. The fee schedule for licensure of service components must be increased annually in substantially equal increments so that, by July 1, 1998, the fees from the licensure of service components are sufficient to cover at least 50 percent of the costs of regulating the service components. The department shall specify by rule a fee range and phase-in plan for privately funded licensed service providers and a fee range and phase-in plan for publicly funded licensed service providers. Fees for privately funded licensed service providers must exceed the fees for publicly funded licensed service providers. The first year phase-in licensure fees must be at least $150 per initial license. The rule must provide for a reduction in licensure fees for licensed service providers who hold more than one license.

(2)  The department shall recommend to the Legislature any further expansion of the fee schedule necessary to cover the cost of regulation. In developing its recommendations, the department should consider the ability of licensed service providers to pay additional licensure fees and other relevant factors. The department shall provide with its recommendations a report on its implementation of the fee schedule phase-in provided for in subsection (1). The recommendations and report must be submitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1, 1997.

(3)  The department shall assess a fee of $100 per license for the late filing of an application for renewal of a license.

(4)  Licensure and renewal fees must be deposited in the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund to be used for the actual cost of monitoring, inspecting, and overseeing licensed service providers.

(5)  Each application for licensure or renewal must be accompanied by the required fee, except that a service provider that has an all-volunteer staff is exempt from the licensure and renewal fees.

History.--s. 3, ch. 93-39; s. 22, ch. 96-418.