BILL NUMBER: SB 404	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator De León

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2015

   An act  to amend Section 40800 of the Vehicle Code,
  relating to  vehicles.   fines. 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 404, as amended, De León.  Vehicles: traffic officers.
  Fines: criminal and traffic base fines.  
   Existing law imposes various penalties including, among others,
fines, for violations of the Penal Code and the Vehicle Code. 

   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation to provide a durable solution to address the issues of
equity and efficacy of penalty assessments associated with criminal
and traffic base fines.  
   Existing law requires a traffic officer on duty for the exclusive
or main purpose of enforcing specified provisions of the Vehicle Code
relating to accidents and accident reports and rules of the road to
wear a full distinctive uniform, and if the officer while on duty
uses a motor vehicle, requires the vehicle to be painted a
distinctive color specified by the Commissioner of the California
Highway Patrol.  
   This bill would delete the requirement that the motor vehicle be
painted, but would continue to require the vehicle be a distinctive
color. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Recognizing the complexity of the state'
s fine and fee structure, it is the intent of the Legislature to
enact legislation to provide a durable solution to address the issues
of equity and efficacy of penalty assessments associated with
criminal and traffic base fines.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 40800 of the Vehicle Code is
amended to read:
   40800.  (a) A traffic officer on duty for the exclusive or main
purpose of enforcing the provisions of Division 10 (commencing with
Section 20000) or division 11 (commencing with Section 21000) shall
wear a full distinctive uniform, and if the officer while on duty
uses a motor vehicle, it shall be a distinctive color specified by
the commissioner.
   (b) This section does not apply to an officer assigned exclusively
to the duty of investigating and securing evidence in reference to
the theft of a vehicle, failure of a person to stop in the event of
an accident, or violation of Section 23109 or 23109.1, or in
reference to a felony charge, or to an officer engaged in serving a
warrant when the officer is not engaged in patrolling the highways
for the purpose of enforcing the traffic laws.