BILL #    HB 2326	TITLE: peace officer nonlethal device fund
SPONSOR:    Payne	STATUS: As Introduced
PREPARED BY:    James Martinez-Burney

Description

The bill would impose a new $2 assessment on crimes and civil penalties and allow judges to waive and mitigate the amount of the assessment.

Estimated Impact

We estimate the bill would generate $800,000 in revenue for the new Peace Officer Nonlethal Device Fund.  To the extent that judges waive this fee, the amount of revenue would be less than $800,000.  

We based our estimate on information provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts. 

Analysis

The bill would impose a new $2 assessment to every fine, penalty, and forfeiture imposed and collected by the courts for criminal offenses and any civil penalty for a civil traffic violation, violation of the motor vehicle statutes, or for any local ordinance relating to operation of a vehicle.  The bill would deposit the revenue into a newly created Peace Officer Nonlethal Device Fund to be administered by the State Treasurer.  The monies in the fund could be used to provide peace officers with non-lethal devices that do not cause permanent harm or injury when used in the apprehension of offenders.  The monies in the fund would not lapse and the fund would be subject to legislative appropriation. 

The revenues for this fund could vary to the extent that the bill allows the court to mitigate the fee.

Local Government Impact

None.

2/7/24