HB 1973
In CommitteeHouse
Professional license fees
Concerning professional license accounts and fees.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill fixes a problem where real estate appraisers were charged more than allowed due to a state error, requiring the state to refund overpaid fees. It also gives the state more time to fix future fee imbalances in professional licensing accounts—instead of forcing a large fee hike all at once, it allows up to six years to correct the books.
- Allows the Department of Licensing up to three biennia (six years) to fix imbalances in professional license accounts if an error caused a fee increase of more than 33% in a single biennium.
- Requires the Department to identify individuals who paid excess fees (over 33% increase) to the Real Estate Appraiser Commission account in the past year due to a department error.
- Mandates that the Department issue a one-time refund of the overpaid amount to each affected person within 30 days of identifying them.
- Declares the bill an emergency measure, making it effective immediately upon passage.
Who is affected
- Real estate appraisers and applicants — People who paid real estate appraiser licensing fees in the past year may have overpaid due to an error; they will receive a refund of the excess amount.
- Washington State Department of Licensing and other licensing departments — State agencies that manage professional licensing accounts (like the Department of Licensing) gain flexibility to correct past fee errors over multiple years instead of needing large immediate fee hikes.
- Licensed professionals across Washington — Professionals in licensed occupations (e.g., engineers, nurses, contractors) may benefit from more stable and predictable license fees over time, avoiding sudden large increases.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (3)
Requires a one-time refund of overpaid fees to affected real estate appraisers who were charged more than 33% above the correct amount due to a state error—directly restoring money they were wrongly required to pay.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)-(2)Prevents future large, sudden fee hikes for all licensed professionals (not just appraisers) by allowing up to six years to correct fee imbalances, reducing financial shock and administrative burden on small businesses and sole proprietors who rely on state licenses to operate.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1Addresses a due-process concern: individuals were charged fees beyond statutory limits due to state error; the refund requirement restores fairness and accountability in state fee collection.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)-(2)
Potential Concerns (1)
The bill grants the Department of Licensing up to six years to correct fee imbalances in professional licensing accounts, which may reduce fiscal discipline and create uncertainty about future fee structures for all licensed professionals.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1
Who Is Most Affected
Real estate appraisers who overpaid in the past year will receive direct financial restitution; this is a clear win for this group, especially sole proprietors and small independent appraisers.
The Department gains administrative flexibility and avoids politically painful one-time fee spikes, but must invest staff time to identify and refund overpayments—net neutral to slightly negative due to administrative burden.
Other licensed professionals (e.g., contractors, nurses, engineers) benefit from more predictable fee schedules and avoidance of large, sudden increases—though the direct benefit is smaller than for appraisers, the structural change improves long-term planning.
Low- and middle-income licensees (e.g., independent contractors, small business owners) benefit most from avoiding large fee spikes, while wealthier licensees with multiple credentials benefit less proportionally.
The state’s general fund is not directly impacted (refunds are paid from the affected account), but the bill preserves public trust in licensing fairness—this is a minor, diffuse benefit to society.