HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04101990 - 1.42 1.- -041
TO: a BOARD OF SUPERVISORS t"w Contra
.r:. Costa
FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator .s
County
April 2 1990 \ '__ 40
DATE:
LEGISLATION: SB 2787 (Robbins)
SUBJECT:
I --
SPECIFIC REOUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOPKENDATION
Indicate that the Board of Supervisors is the SPONSOR of SB 2787
by Senator Robbins which would impose an additional assessment of
$17 . 50 on each individual convicted of failing to have automobile
insurance in force to assist in paying for the cost of
administering the financial responsibility laws.
BACKGROUND:
One element of the Board' s 1990 Legislative Program was to seek
legislation which would authorize an administrative assessment to
offset the costs of the Municipal Court in administering the
financial responsibility laws. What had originally been
requested was a $10.00 assessment on each citation of failing to
have proof of automobile insurance present in one's vehicle.
Under current law, a driver is required to have proof of
insurance available in a vehicle and is required to provide it to
a law enforcement officer upon request. However, the law
provides that a citation for failing to have such proof available
in the vehicle will be dismissed upon providing the court with
proof that the individual had insurance in force but simply did
not have proof of the insurance coverage available in the
vehicle. Nearly half of all citations for violating the
financial responsibility laws are dismissed upon presentation of
proof that insurance was in force at the time the citation was
issued. In these cases the court has a great deal of paperwork
which must be handled but receives no revenue whatever since the
citation is eventually dismissed.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT YES SIGNATURE: /'
JL RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURES) (4&611' f �" � 't
ACTION OF BOARD ON April 10,__1990 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.
j�
CC:
ATTESTED APR 1 0 79on
PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
County Administrator SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Municipal Court Administrator .
Director, Justice Systems Programs
Les Spahnn, SRJ. Jackson, Barish &B�ssoc. Zlza:;� DEPUTY
M382 (10/88)
Senator Robbins has indicated that he does not favor an
administrative assessment on those individuals whose citations
are dismissed since the law determines that these individuals are
in fact not guilty of anything.
Senator Robbins is, however, willing to impose an additional
assessment on those who are found guilty of failing to have proof
of financial responsibility in that they did not, in fact, have
' insurance in force at the time the citation was issued. In these
cases, upon being found guilty, the individual pays a fine of $75
plus an additional penalty assessment of $25 . SB 2787 , as
introduced, would increase this assessment of $25 to $42. 50. If
the individual is stopped for and eventually found guilty of
driving under the influence the fine is $180 and the penalty
assessment is $60. SB 2787 would also increase this assessment
to $77 . 50 . Currently the $25 (or $60) assessment is dedicated to
the Courthouse Construction Fund. As the bill is introduced this
additional assessment would also go to the Courthouse
Construction Fund. We will be asking Senator Robbins to amend SB
2787 to permit this additional $17 . 50 assessment to be dedicated
to the administration of the financial responsibility laws.
In view of the fact that Senator Robbins has introduced SB 2787
at the request of the Board of Supervisors and in view of the
fact that SB 2787 provides additional revenue for the courts it
is appropriate for the Board to indicate that it is the sponsor
of SB 2787.