Efforts to set up a new office aimed at collecting state government's back-owed debts are under way in the Department of Revenue.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Efforts to set up a new office aimed at collecting state government's back-owed debts are under way in the Department of Revenue.
The state's Cash Management Review Board receives an update Thursday on the creation of the Office of Debt Recovery.
Lawmakers established the office in the last legislative session, hoping that money from its work will start rolling in before the budget year ends June 30.
Under the law, the Office of Debt Recovery has the authority to revoke and suspend state-issued licenses and offset tax refunds or other state accounts payable until a debt is paid.
Agencies will be required to refer all their delinquent accounts to either the attorney general's office or the new debt recovery office for collection.
Louisiana's delinquent accounts top $1 billion.