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Board hears fund-condition shortfall; staff and DCA propose fee-cap changes and immediate rulemaking for initial license fee
Summary
The board reviewed a fund condition showing declining reserves, heard DCA budget office analysis of a structural imbalance (~$450,000/year), and authorized rulemaking to raise the initial license fee from $200 to $250 while seeking statutory fee-cap increases via sunset legislation.
Board staff and the Department of Consumer Affairs budget office told members on Nov. 8 that the Physician Assistant Board’s fund condition shows declining months-in-reserve over the next three fiscal years and a structural imbalance the staff estimated at about $450,000 per year.
Budget Manager Suzanne Balcus presented the fund-condition snapshot showing 13.7 months in reserve for FY 23–24, projected to fall to about 11.7 months in 2024–25 and to about four months by FY 26–27 under current revenue and expenditure assumptions. Matt Neshamini of DCA’s budget/regulations unit explained a two-step approach: 1) seek a regulatory increase where the board has authority (raising the initial-license fee from $200 to $250) and 2) pursue legislative increases to statutory caps (for example raising caps for initial and renewal fees) to allow future regulatory fee adjustments if necessary.
The board considered a rulemaking package to amend Title 16 (proposed regulatory text at 13 99.55) to increase the initial license fee to $250. Staff said the regulatory increase is targeted to be effective July 1, 2025, and that any legislative increases to fee caps would permit incremental future regulation-based increases with stakeholder engagement. The board approved initiation of the regulatory process for the initial-fee increase and related regulatory text by a recorded vote.
Why it matters: Staff said the board is “structurally imbalanced” (revenues below projected expenditures) and that fee-cap increases would support current service levels, licensing system maintenance, enforcement capacity and the board’s operational stability through the next sunset cycle.
Formal actions taken: The board authorized staff to submit the proposed regulatory text to DCA for review and, if no adverse comments are received, to begin rulemaking to increase the initial license fee to $250 and to proceed to adoption if no hearing is requested. The transcript records roll-call “Aye” votes and the meeting materials list a targeted implementation date of July 1, 2025 if rulemaking proceeds on schedule.
Speakers quoted are from the staff and DCA budget office and are listed in the speakers section below.
