Report 2017-126 Recommendation Responses
Report 2017-126: Penalty Assessment Funds: California's Traffic Penalties and Fees Provide Inconsistent Funding for State and County Programs and Have a Significant Financial Impact on Drivers (Release Date: April 2018)
Recommendation for Legislative Action
To ensure consistent funding streams for state and county programs, the Legislature should consider whether, and to what extent, to fund the programs that currently receive penalty and fee revenue from criminal and traffic violations. The Legislature could adjust or eliminate individual penalties and fees by considering the following factors identified in our report:
-Revenue trends and the reliability of penalties and fees as funding sources
-The significant financial impact of penalties and fees on low-income individuals
-How well aligned the uses of the penalty and fee revenues are with the offenses that give rise to the penalty or fee
-The seemingly arbitrary amount of the penalty or fee
To accomplish this, over the next two-year period the Legislature should review the penalties and fees and the programs that receive the penalty and fee revenue to determine the programs' needs. If the Legislature determines that a particular penalty or fee is not appropriate for generating revenue for a particular program, it should consider requiring the affected department to identify other funding sources or reduce the program's scope of services.
Description of Legislative Action
As of April 26, 2022, the Legislature has not taken any action in the 2021/22 Legislative Session to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
As of April 26, 2021, the Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
As of April 26, 2020, the Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
The Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: April 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
The Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: October 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
The Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: August 2018