HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04141992 - 1.38 r. 1 3 1
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ;_5E Contra
L
CostaFROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
County
DATE: April 9 , 1992
cGu.
SUBJECT: LEGISLATION: SB 1707 (Torres)
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a position of SUPPORT for SB 1707 by Senator Art Torres,
which would authorize the Board of Supervisors to increase the
civil filing fee which is dedicated to funding the Dispute
Resolution Program from a maximum of $3 to a maximum of $10 .
BACKGROUND:
Under current law, a board of supervisors is authorized to
implement a civil filing fee increase of not more than $3 for the
filing of a first paper in a civil action in Municipal or Superior
Court for the purpose of funding the Dispute Resolution Program.
A number of county mediation programs are undergoing severe budget
pressures and may have to reduce staff or even close if they do not
receive additional revenue. Counties are not in a position to
provide additional general fund support to such programs, despite
their value.
SB 1707 has been introduced by Senator Torres at the request of the
Los Angeles County Bar Association. The bill is co-sponsored by
the County of San Mateo and a number of other dispute resolution
agencies around California.
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CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: 4 YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): �?Aal��
ACTION OF BOARD ON pr i 114 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 ADATE SHOWN.
CC: County Administrator ATTESTED L/[ AA' 4 /
County Clerk-Recorder
Superior Court Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Municipal Court Administrator SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
George Roemer, Senior Deputy County Administrator
Les Spahnn, SRJ. Jackson, Barish & Associates
BY DEPUTY
M382 (10/88)
-2-
SB 1707 would authorize, but not require, the Board of Supervisors
to increase the filing fee from $3 to as much as $10 or anywhere in
between, to support dispute resolution programs . The Board of
Supervisors has a long standing position in support of legislation
which would provide the Board with additional discretion to
determine its own priorities for funding programs and to provide
the County with revenue sources whenever possible to support such
programs . SB 1707 appears to be entirely consistent with these
past positions by the Board of Supervisors . Under SB 1707, the
Board could leave the filing fee for dispute resolution programs at
$3, reduce or eliminate it, or increase the fee to any level up to
$10 . This additional discretion appears to provide the Board with
a viable method of providing additional funds for a program if it
wishes to do so. It is, therefore, recommended that the Board
indicate its support for SB 1707 .