§ 153A.17 — Expenses; Fees
Plain-Language Summary
This section requires that the costs of administering the prescription hearing aid dispenser certification program — including the Consumer Information Center — be paid entirely from application fees, renewal fees, penalties, and fines collected from dispensers. The legislature is prohibited from transferring these fees to the general fund.
153A.17 EXPENSES; FEES.
(a) The expenses for administering the certification requirements, including the complaint handling system for prescription hearing aid dispensers in sections 153A.14 and 153A.15, and the Consumer Information Center under section 153A.18, must be paid from initial application and examination fees, renewal fees, penalties, and fines. The commissioner shall only use fees collected under this section for the purposes of administering this chapter. The legislature must not transfer money generated by these fees from the state government special revenue fund to the general fund.
(b) The fees are as follows:
(1) the initial certification application fee is $772.50;
(2) the annual renewal certification application fee is $750;
(3) the initial examination fee for the practical portion is $1,200, and $600 for each time it is taken, thereafter; for individuals meeting the requirements of section 148.515, subdivision 2, the fee for the practical portion of the prescription hearing aid dispensing examination is $600 each time it is taken;
(4) the trainee application fee is $230;
(5) the penalty fee for late submission of a renewal application is $260; and
(6) the fee for verification of certification to other jurisdictions or entities is $25.
(c) The commissioner may prorate the certification fee for new applicants based on the number of quarters remaining in the annual certification period.
(d) All fees are nonrefundable. All fees, penalties, and fines received must be deposited in the state government special revenue fund.
(e) Hearing instrument dispensers who were certified before January 1, 2018, shall pay a onetime surcharge of $22.50 to renew their certification when it expires after October 31, 2020. The surcharge shall cover the commissioner’s costs associated with criminal background checks.
History:
1988 c 689 art 2 s 59; 1991 c 202 s 12; 1993 c 201 s 5; 1995 c 164 s 28; 1997 c 203 art 2 s 18; 2003 c 87 s 49; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 7 s 54; 2009 c 79 art 10 s 35; 2012 c 278 art 2 s 20; 1Sp2017 c 6 art 10 s 130; 2023 c 70 art 3 s 77
History: History: 1988 c 689 art 2 s 59; 1991 c 202 s 12; 1993 c 201 s 5; 1995 c 164 s 28; 1997 c 203 art 2 s 18; 2003 c 87 s 49; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 7 s 54; 2009 c 79 art 10 s 35; 2012 c 278 art 2 s 20; 1Sp2017 c 6 art 10 s 130; 2023 c 70 art 3 s 77