The Substitute House Bill No. 6865 aims to implement the Governor's recommendations for general government by modernizing payment methods for state agencies, allowing them to accept payments for licenses, taxes, fees, and fines through credit cards, debit cards, and electronic payment services. The bill mandates that state agencies charge a service fee for these transactions, which must be disclosed to the payor beforehand and cannot exceed the fees imposed by the card issuer. It also grants the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management the authority to set conditions for payment acceptance and service fees, while removing previous provisions that allowed for waiving these fees. The changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Additionally, the bill proposes significant amendments to the structure of the State Health Information Technology Advisory Council and the Governor's Workforce Council, expanding membership and enhancing governance. It introduces a new social equity and innovation account, replacing the existing Social Equity and Innovation Fund, and outlines the allocation of cannabis tax revenues to support various initiatives. The bill also modifies the process for erasing criminal history records, establishing new criteria and timelines, and increases judicial compensation starting in FY 27. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline operations across state agencies while addressing workforce development, health information technology, and social equity initiatives.

Statutes affected:
Governor's Bill: 1-1j, 12-39r, 14-11i, 51-193b, 31-3i, 9-218, 4-66k, 12-330ll, 4-66p, 4-66o, 5-141d
APP Joint Favorable Substitute: 1-1j, 12-39r, 14-11i, 51-193b, 31-3i, 51-47, 12-330ll
File No. 900: 1-1j, 12-39r, 14-11i, 51-193b, 31-3i, 51-47, 12-330ll