The bill aims to enhance funding for public services by increasing fees related to the Workers' Compensation Administration, telecommunications services, and emergency response systems. It amends the Workers' Compensation Act to raise the employer fee from $2.30 to $2.80 and the employee fee from $2.00 to $2.50 by 2033. Additionally, the 911 emergency surcharge will be increased, and a portion of the telecommunications relay service surcharge will be allocated to a newly established 988 Lifeline Fund. The bill also allows the State Budget Division to approve expenditures from the Telecommunications Access Fund for the Commission for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Persons.

Moreover, the legislation introduces the Supported Decision-Making Act, which establishes requirements for supported decision-making agreements and outlines the duties of supporters. This act creates a Supported Decision-Making Program within the Office of Guardianship and includes provisions for reporting requirements and appropriations to support these initiatives. The bill also establishes a "telecommunications access fund" within the state treasury to support the administration of the Telecommunications Access Act and creates a "988 lifeline fund" for mental health support services. The provisions of the Supported Decision-Making Act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
FC substitute: 52-5-19, 63-9F-11, 63-9F-12
Final Version: 52-5-19, 62-8-8, 62-13-2, 63-7-20, 63-9D-5, 63-9F-11, 63-9F-12