CaliforniaCounties may keep adding emergency care charges to criminal fines
The signed law extends through 2036 the option for counties to add a charge to criminal fines to fund emergency care, including care for children.
What it does
County boards may keep adding $2 for every $10, or part of $10, in covered criminal fines through 2036 if they add to other program funding. Restitution fines, parking tickets, and some other charges are exempt.
Counties with children's trauma centers must keep using 15% of the extra charge for those centers through 2036. Counties without one must use charge money to improve access to and coordination of children's emergency care.
When counties collect the extra charge, its proceeds must keep paying the cost of managing that money through 2036. Payments cannot exceed actual costs or 10% of collections, whichever is less.
Argument forIn counties choosing the charge, continued revenue could help children's trauma centers cover unpaid care or help counties without centers improve access.
Argument againstIn counties that choose the charge, people with covered criminal fines could keep paying an extra penalty through 2036.
More detail
County boards may continue adding a charge to covered criminal fines and penalties. The charge is $2 for every $10, or part of $10, in court-collected fines, penalties, and money forfeited for criminal offenses. A county board must choose the charge and say it will add to other program funding rather than replace it. Restitution fines, parking offenses, and certain other charges are exempt. The county charge provision remains in effect until January 1, 2037.
Counties with children's trauma centers must continue directing 15% of the extra charge's proceeds to those centers. This covers money from the optional county charge and public or private children's trauma centers in the county. Counties without a children's trauma center must use money from the charge to improve access to and coordination of children's trauma and emergency care, favoring hospitals and doctors who care for children. Money for centers can cover unpaid emergency care or expand children's trauma services, including equipment. These children's emergency care funding rules remain in effect until January 1, 2037.
Fund administrators must continue paying management costs from the extra charge's proceeds. This applies to money collected through the optional county charge. Payments cannot exceed actual management costs or 10% of the money collected, whichever is less. This management cost rule remains in effect until January 1, 2037.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 883, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 25Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 19In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1607 Mark González et al. By Grayson. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 19Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 5547.).Passed Senate
- Jul 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 30).Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 18From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Jun 17
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Upper
- May 6Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and PUB. S.Minor
- Apr 20In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1607 Mark González Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 20Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 1. Page 4726.)Passed Assembly
- Apr 16Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 14).Minor
- Apr 14
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 6Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Mar 26Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 25From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (March 24).Major
- Mar 24
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and PUB. S.Minor
- Jan 21From printer. May be heard in committee February 20.
- Jan 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
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