HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04111989 - 1.28 vr(
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ?� b` L Contra
FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
Costa
County
DATE:
April 6, 1989
SUBJECT: LEGISLATION: AB 2488 (Campbell)
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECO14MENDATION:
Indicate that the Board of Supervisors is the SPONSOR of AB
2488 by Assemblyman Campbell which authorizes the Board of
Supervisors in Contra Costa County to impose a fee of $10 on
citations for failure to provide a peace officer proof of
financial responsibility when the citation is eventually
dismissed upon submitting proof of financial responsibility.
BACKGROUND:
Current law requires that all drivers have proof of
automobile insurance available in the vehicle when a driver
is stopped for any other reason by a peace officer. Failure
to have such proof available will subject the driver to a
citation for violating the financial responsibility laws, in
addition to whatever other offense caused the driver to be
stopped in the first place. If a driver has automobile
insurance but simply was not carrying proof of the insurance
in the vehicle the citation is usually dismissed by the
court upon being presented with proof of such insurance
coverage. Nearly 50% of all citations for failure to carry
proof of automobile insurance are dismissed when adequate
proof is presented to the court. In these cases the court
must still process a great deal of paperwork and receives no
fines or revenue from any other source to cover their costs.
Most, if not all, of these dismissed citations are totally
unnecessary since all the individual would have to do to
avoid the citation is to remember to carry proof of
insurance in the vehicle. However, the driver has little
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
L RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): V&"
ACTION OF BOARD ON_Apri 1 1-1, 1989 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _< OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED APR 11 1989
PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382 (10/88)
BY --
DEPUTY
-2-
incentive to carry proof of insurance since the driver
discovers very quickly that the citation will be dismissed
when the driver simply mails in proof of insurance. In an
effort to determine whether these drivers can be encouraged
to carry proof of insurance with them the Municipal Court
Administrator has proposed that the Legislature authorize
the County to impose an administrative fee for processing
the dismissal. It is hoped that knowing that there will be
a $10 fee for failure to carry proof of insurance even if
the citation is dismissed will encourage drivers to start
carrying their proof of insurance with them at all times.
Data will be gathered and reported to the Judicial Council
in an effort to determine whether such a fee does, in fact,
encourage more drivers to carry proof of insurance with
them.
Assemblyman Campbell has agreed to introduce this.
legislation for the Board of Supervisors. This measure was
a part of the Board' s 1989 Legislative Program and therefore
deserves the Board' s indication that the legislation is .
sponsored by the County.
cc: County Administrator
Municipal Court Administrator
Assemblyman Campbell
Les Spahnn, Jackson/Barish & Associates