Every bill has a fiscal note.

It estimates the cost to state government if the legislation is enacted.

A bad fiscal note can kill your bill before you speak the first words of your testimony.

I know.  It happened to me once.

The customary culprit is a state agency that doesn’t like your bill and submits an overly generous estimate of its cost to the legislative staffer who’s preparing the fiscal note.

But a legislator or advocate doesn’t have to wait until the fiscal note is distributed the day of the bill hearing to offer alternative numbers.

That’s what I advised at my 9 a.m. meeting, where the individual was seeking a tax credit.  The more businesses that receive the credit, the greater the loss to the state.  To avoid an agency estimate on the high side, I suggested meetings with the agency and the fiscal note writer.

At my noontime meeting, the proposed bill would save the state money.  Make sure the agency doesn’t underestimate the savings, I counseled.