Bill Description: House Bill 455 restructures and simplifies certain agricultural fees in a manner likely to reduce fees for affected industries.

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Does it directly or indirectly create or increase any taxes, fees, or other assessments? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce any taxes, fees, or other assessments?

House Bill 455 amends and repeals several sections of state code dealing with registering fertilizers and soil and plant amendments. Under existing law, there are both registration fees and separate fees for tonnage. House Bill 455 would repeal tonnage fees and move to a flat fee of $75 per fertilizer product and $90 per soil and plant-amendment product.

The fiscal note for House Bill 455 says the current combined fees average $77 per fertilizer product and $114 per soil and plant-amendment product. The fiscal note estimates the affected industries would save $55,000 the first year and $186,000 over five years. 

It also estimates that the Idaho Department of Agriculture will see "significant savings to staff time due to a simplified process."

The net effect of House Bill 455 will be a small reduction in fees, although it is possible that, in some cases, fertilizer product registration fees will be higher under this new system. 

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