BILL ANALYSIS Ó Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair AB 674 (Bonilla) Hearing Date: 07/11/2011 Amended: 04/06/2011 Consultant: Mark McKenzie Policy Vote: T&H 5-2 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: AB 674 would repeal the January 1, 2012 sunset date on provisions that authorize counties to impose an additional surcharge on vehicle registrations to purchase fingerprint identification systems. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund Fee revenue gain ($14,522) ($29,044) ($29,044) Local DMV programming moderate one-time programming costs,Special* fully offset by fee revenues DMV/SCO administration all ongoing costs are fully offset by feeSpecial*/ revenues General ____________ * Motor Vehicle Account _________________________________________________________________ ____ STAFF COMMENTS: Existing law establishes a basic vehicle registration fee of $34 and a $22 surcharge for additional California Highway Patrol personnel. Local agencies are also authorized to impose various vehicle registration surcharges in their respective jurisdictions, including a $1 fee for fingerprint identification programs. Those counties that have adopted the fingerprint identification program fee are also authorized to charge an additional $2 fee on the registration of commercial vehicles. This surcharge generates approximately $29 million annually for the 45 participating counties. The funds are collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and continuously appropriated to the State Controller's Office (SCO) for distribution to participating counties. All DMV and SCO costs are fully > (>) Page 1 recovered from fee revenues. The authority to impose this fee was initially enacted in 1997 and is scheduled to sunset on January 1, 2012. This bill would indefinitely extend the authority for counties to impose additional vehicle registration fees for funding programs that enhance the capacity of local law enforcement to provide automated mobile and fixed location fingerprint identification of individuals arrested for driving under the influence, vehicular manslaughter, or other vehicle-related crimes. Since 1986, the Department of Justice has operated an automated fingerprint identification program known as Cal-ID, which is designed to assist law enforcement agencies in identifying criminal suspects, arrested persons, and human remains. This bill would allow local law enforcement agencies to continue to update and purchase automated mobile and fixed location fingerprint identification equipment that is compatible with the Cal-ID program.