SB 673: Courthouse construction: filing fee surcharges.

70624.

(a) In addition to the uniform filing fee authorized pursuant to Section 70611, 70612, 70613, 70614, 70650, 70651, 70652, 70653, 70655, or 70670, after giving notice and holding a public hearing on the proposal, the Board of Supervisors of San Bernardino County may impose a surcharge not to exceed thirty-five dollars ($35) for the filing in superior court of (1) a complaint, petition, or other first paper in a civil, family, or probate action or special proceeding, and (2) a first paper on behalf of any defendant, respondent, intervenor, or adverse party. The county shall notify, in writing, the superior court and the Judicial Council of any change in a surcharge under this section. If a surcharge under this section is imposed on a filing fee, the distribution that would otherwise be made to the State Court Facilities Construction Fund under subdivision (c) of Section 68085.3 or subdivision (c) of Section 68085.4 shall be reduced as provided in Section 70603. This section shall apply to fees collected under Sections 70611, 70612, 70613, 70614, 70650, 70651, 70652, 70653, 70655, and 70670, beginning January 1, 2006.

(b) The surcharge shall be in an amount determined to be necessary by the board of supervisors to supplement the Courthouse Construction Fund, to be deposited in that fund and used solely for the purposes authorized for expenditures from that fund, including, but not limited to, earthquake retrofitting, renovation, and remodeling of all portions of the Central San Bernardino Courthouse in need of retrofitting, renovation, or remodeling, whether or not necessitated by the retrofitting work, including the original courthouse built in 1926 and all subsequent additions thereto. Expenditures made from the Courthouse Construction Fund that are funded from the surcharge shall be made in order of priority to ensure that all necessary earthquake retrofitting of the Central San Bernardino Courthouse will be completed. Collection of the surcharge authorized by this section shall terminate upon repayment of the amortized costs incurred, or 30 years from the sale of the bond, whichever occurs first. However, the surcharge shall not apply in instances in which no filing fee is charged or the filing fee is waived. If the amortized costs have been repaid, or 30 years have passed since the sale of the bond, the county shall notify in writing the superior court and the Judicial Council.

(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2039, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2039, deletes or extends that date.