Bill to centralize state credential and permit data moves forward after broad stakeholder support

House Bill 21-98, presented as governor-request legislation to codify and extend Executive Order 2503 reforms, would require executive-branch agencies to compile all permits, licenses and credentials into a single statewide catalog and publish processing and decision timelines. The bill also provides authority for agencies to refund application fees when published decision times are missed and grants ORIA discretion to establish guidance and technical assistance.

Committee counsel described the bill as consolidating duplicative reporting and creating a central online repository to increase transparency and predictability. The staff briefing noted agencies must update entries regularly and that decision times must be established incrementally by Jan. 1, 2030.

Bill Perschbacher (Governor’s office) testified in support and said the executive order had already generated measurable improvements but lacked statutory refund authority; he described the bill as necessary to sustain progress. Cosmetologists, business groups and labor unions testified that licensing and permitting delays have direct economic consequences: license holders waiting for approvals can’t work, projects stall and workers are idled. The Department of Health reported examples of reduced timelines (e.g., a 69% improvement in one permitting category), and industry groups described real-world impacts such as delayed openings for food vendors and medical practitioners.

Witnesses urged flexibility for agencies, centralized reporting and continued collaboration on implementation. The committee closed the public testimony on HB 21-98 after a broad cross-section of supporters concluded their remarks; a fiscal note was requested but not yet available according to staff.