LEGISLATIVE FINDING AND INTENT.

(a) The legislature finds that, to ensure the efficient operation of state agencies and institutions of higher education and to allow for the assessment of fees adequate to reimburse the state for the costs of state services and regulatory functions, it is in the public interest to provide for the adjustment of state fees by the legislature in the General Appropriations Act. It is the intent of the legislature that fees be adjusted biennially in the General Appropriations Act in a manner that provides for the recovery of any increased costs to the state resulting from the performance of services and functions for which a fee is levied. It is the intent of the legislature that, to the extent that senate and house rules allow, each substantive committee shall retain jurisdiction over any adjustment in fees as part of the appropriations process.

(b) Any increase in the amount of a fee made under this subchapter is for the purpose of recovering, on an annual basis, the costs to the state agency or institution of higher education increasing the fee. Where fee amounts are increased on a percentage basis, fee amounts may be rounded to the nearest whole dollar.