HB 375

ON MARCH 17, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED A MENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 5088, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to require each department, agency, or official of a county , municipal government , or metropolitan government that assesses and collects a fee related to development in e xcess of $250 to maintain documentation describing the justification and cost basis for such fee . The documentation is also required upon the adoption of a new fee or for a change in the amount of an existing fee that is related to development and in exce ss of $250. An existing fee, new fee, or fee change must only be documented once. The documentation required for an existing fee, new fee, or fee change: ( 1) Must be maintained and kept on file by the department, agency, or official; (2) Is a publi c record and available for public inspection upon request; and (3) Is subject to an annual audit by the comptroller of the treasury. This bill defines "co st basis"" to mean the rationale for charging a fee, particularly in regard to how a fee reasonably relates to cost incurred by the government . This bill specifies that county utilities are required to maintain and provide documentation of a connection cost according to present law, which generally requires a utility system to provide, upon a custom er's request, the c onnection cost in writing along with a written itemized and detailed description of the costs that comprise the connection cost."