House Bill No. [insert number] enacts R.S. 30:21.1, establishing a framework for expedited processing of applications within the state of Louisiana. The bill introduces an expedited processing fee that will be charged to applicants whose requests for expedited processing are approved. This fee will cover the direct costs incurred by the department for the expedited service, including overtime pay for employees involved in the processing, capped at one-and-one-half times the standard hourly wage of the highest-paid eligible employee. Additionally, an administrative surcharge of up to twenty percent of the total overtime cost will be applied, with a minimum charge of five hundred dollars.

The bill also specifies that the expedited processing fee does not cover any additional costs for mailing or delivery services beyond the department's standard offerings, and any extra shipping costs will be the responsibility of the applicant. However, the expedited processing fee can be waived if the need for expedited service arises solely from an error, mistake, or delay on the part of the department. This legislation aims to streamline the processing of applications while ensuring that the costs associated with expedited services are clearly defined and managed.