House Bill No. by Representative Riser proposes the enactment of R.S. 30:21.1, which establishes a framework for expedited processing fees charged by the Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Under this new provision, an expedited processing fee will be applied to applicants whose requests for expedited processing are approved. The fee will be calculated based on the actual overtime costs incurred by the department, with a maximum rate of one-and-one-half times the standard hourly wage of the highest-paid eligible employee involved in the review. Additionally, an administrative surcharge of up to 20% of the total overtime cost will be assessed, with a minimum charge of five hundred dollars.

The bill also stipulates that any additional costs for mailing or delivery services beyond the department's standard offerings will be the responsibility of the applicant. However, if the need for expedited processing arises solely from an error, mistake, or delay on the part of the department, the expedited processing fee will be waived. This legislation aims to streamline the processing of applications while ensuring that the costs associated with expedited services are clearly defined and fairly allocated.