BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 57|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 57
Author: Alarcon (D), et al
Amended: 5/27/05
Vote: 21
SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE : 4-1, 5/3/05
AYES: Alquist, Cedillo, Migden, Perata
NOES: Poochigian
NO VOTE RECORDED: Margett, Romero
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 8-5, 5/26/05
AYES: Migden, Alarcon, Alquist, Escutia, Florez, Murray,
Ortiz, Romero
NOES: Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Dutton, Poochigian
SUBJECT : Fines and forfeitures
SOURCE : American College of Emergency Physicians
DIGEST : This bill amends the Maddy Emergency Medical
Services Fund to earmark funds for pediatric trauma
centers, as specified.
ANALYSIS : Existing law authorizes a county to establish
a Maddy Emergency Medical Services Fund (EMS Fund) to be
used to reimburse physicians and hospitals for patients who
do not make payment for emergency medical services and for
other emergency medical services purposes as determined by
each county. Existing law requires each county
establishing the fund to report to the Legislature annually
CONTINUED
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on the implementation and status of the fund. (Health and
Safety Code Section 1797.98a et seq .; Government Code
Section 76104.)
This bill amends the Maddy Emergency Medical Services Fund
to provide that of the money deposited into the EMS Fund
pursuant to this bill, 15 percent shall be utilized to
provide funding for pediatric trauma centers.
The bill requires that funds collected under the provisions
of this bill be deposited into the Maddy Emergency Medical
Services Fund, as specified.
This bill further provides that expenditure of money
deposited in a Maddy Fund pursuant to this bill shall be
limited to reimbursement to physicians and surgeons, and
hospitals for patients who do not make payment for
services, or for expanding the services provided at
pediatric trauma centers, including the purchase of
equipment.
This bill provides that the costs of administering money
deposited in a Maddy Fund under this bill should not exceed
ten percent.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2005-06
2006-07 2007-08 Fund
Assessments Potentially
significant revenues; Special*
Court programming costs $184**
Special*
(first assessment)
Court programming costs Up to $1,425**
Special*
(second assessment)
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Manual processing (statewide) $180 $180
$180 Special*
Manual notices (Fresno) $150*** $300***
$300*** Special*
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Maddy Emergency Medical Services Fund; 15% of total slated
for counties' pediatric trauma units
**Based on number of counties that participate; cost of
$25,000 per county
***If Fresno County elects to assess $2 additional
assessment on specific offenses.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/31/05)
CAL/ACEP American College of Emergency Physicians (source)
Lt. Governor Cruz M. Bustamante
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
California Ambulance Association
California Hospital Association
California Nurses Association
California Professional Firefighters
County Health Executives Association of California
El Proyecto del Barrio
Emergency Medical Services Administration Assoc. of
California
Los Angeles Free Clinic
New Horizons
Pacifica Hospital of the Valley
St. Mary Medical Center
University of California
OPPOSITION : (Verified 5/31/05)
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
California Conference Board of the Amalgamated Transit
Union
California Conference of Machinists
California Public Defenders Assoc.
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
Coalition of Trial Court Clerk Associations
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
Judicial Council of California
Regional Council of Rural Counties
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California Teamsters
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT :
According to the author's office, this bill seeks to
increase revenues to the local Emergency Medical Services
Funds (Maddy Funds) and establish Pediatric Trauma Dollars
for reimbursements and expansion of services. This bill
increases funding for Emergency and Trauma Care by $60-$100
million per year, but more importantly, this increase will
help the states economy by helping protect the existence of
businesses and jobs that currently offer emergency and
trauma care throughout California. This bill allows
counties to increase the average total fine of $320 per
violation by $20-$40 dollars. These additional funds will
also be instrumental in maintaining the financial stability
of the emergency and trauma centers, decreasing the
diversion time and patient wait time, and improving
services overall.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The California Teamsters argue
that, "While the goal of ensuring greater funding levels
for pediatric trauma units is laudable, the approach
envisioned under this bill is not the right one. The
rampant enactment of penalty assessments has created a
system in California where the average citizen has no way
of knowing the actual total fee he will be paying when he
violates specified provisions of the vehicle code. The
situation has gotten so bad that in many instances
assessments can total between 300-350 percent of the base
violation fine. The assessment system goes against
fundamental truth in government principles, and unfairly
impacts the working men and women of this state who must
transport themselves too and from work, or who use their
vehicles for work. Further, assessments have gotten so
high that the average person in this state can not afford
to pay them. These assessments are not working as a
deterrent, but rather are working as a disproportionately
applied funding stream for local governments."
RJG:do 5/27/05 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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