SB216 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald O. Dial

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

State agencies, fees levied which are retained to fund agency, increases based on Consumer Price Index authorized to be adopted by rule, periodic fees thereafter every five years

Summary

SB216 allows Alabama state agencies to raise fees they retain to fund operations by a CPI-based amount, with periodic five-year adjustments and a yearly cap, treated as a formal rule.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes agencies that levy and keep fees to fund their operations to increase those fees by the CPI percentage published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, using a defined date range. After an increase, the agency may repeat the process every five years using CPI data from the prior five years. The annual increase cannot exceed 2% per year, and any approved increase is kept by the agency to fund its operations or programs. The measure does not apply to three specified agencies and takes effect immediately after the governor signs it.

Who It Affects

• State agencies that levy or assess retained fees, as they gain new authority to raise those fees based on CPI with the stated rules.
• People and entities that pay those retained fees, who could see higher charges over time due to these increases.

Key Provisions

• Agencies may increase a retained fee by the CPI percentage for all urban consumers, using a defined reference period and rounding down to the nearest dollar.
• Increases may be repeated every five years using the CPI data from the previous five years, up to a maximum of 2% per year.
• Any change to the fee schedule under this act is treated as a rule under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, and the increased amount must be retained by the agency for its operations or programs.
• The act does not apply to the Alabama Public Service Commission, the State Parks Division, or the State Banking Department, and becomes effective immediately after the governor signs it.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

State Agencies