(a)
A county may establish a one-time amnesty program for fines and bail that have been delinquent for not less than six months as of the date upon which the program commences and were imposed for an infraction or misdemeanor violation of this code, except parking violations of this code and violations of Section 23103, 23104, 23105, 23152, or 23153.(b)
A person owing a fine or bail that is eligible for amnesty under the program may pay to the superior or juvenile court the amount scheduled by the court, that shall be accepted by the court in full satisfaction of the delinquent fine or bail and shall be either of the following:(1)
Seventy percent of the total fine or bail.(2)
The amount of one hundred dollars ($100) for an infraction or five hundred dollars ($500) for a misdemeanor.(c)
The amnesty program shall be implemented by the courts of the county on a one-time basis and conducted in accordance with Judicial Council guidelines for a period of not less than 120 days. The program shall operate not longer than six months from the date the court initiates the program.(d)
No criminal action shall be brought against a person for a delinquent fine or bail paid under the amnesty program and no other additional penalties, except as provided in Section 1214.1 of the Penal Code, shall be assessed for the late payment of the fine or bail made under the amnesty program.(e)
Notwithstanding Section 1463 of the Penal Code, the total amount of funds collected by the courts pursuant to the amnesty program shall be deposited in the county treasury until 150 percent of the cost of operating the program, excluding capital expenditures, have been so deposited. Thereafter, 37 percent of the amount of the delinquent fines and bail deposited in the county treasury shall be distributed by the county pursuant to Section 1464 of the Penal Code, 26 percent of the amount deposited shall be distributed by the county pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 76100) of Chapter 12 of Title 8 of the Government Code, and the remaining 37 percent of the amount deposited shall be retained by the county.(f)
The deposit of fines and bails in the county treasury as described in subdivision (e) is limited to the amnesty program described in this section, and it is the intent of the Legislature that it shall not be considered a precedent with respect to affecting programs that receive funding pursuant to Section 1463 of the Penal Code.(g)
Each county participating in the program shall file, not later than six months after the termination of the program, a written report with the Assembly Committee on Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Judiciary. The report shall summarize the amount of money collected, operating costs of the program, distribution of funds collected, and when possible, how the funds were expended.
Source:
Section 42008.5, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=42008.5..