Source: https://www.azag.gov/sgo-opinions/surcharges-local-administrative-fees-and-forfeitures
Timestamp: 2017-02-22 08:32:52
Document Index: 171161437

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 41', '§ 3', '§ 41', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 12']

In 1968, the Arizona Legislature began imposing “penalty assessments,”or surcharges, on specified fines, penalties, and forfeitures to generate revenue for various programs. 1968 Ariz. Sess. Laws ch. 209, § 1 (former A.R.S. § 41–1726) (10 percent penalty assessment on criminal fines, penalties, and forfeitures, to finance a peace officers’ training fund). Over the years, the Legislature expanded the types of fines, penalties, and forfeitures subject to assessment, increased the amount of assessments, and diversified the matters financed by the assessments. See, e.g., 1982 Ariz. Sess. Laws ch. 330, § 3 (former A.R.S. § 41-2403) (increasing penalty assessment to 37 percent, financing the criminal enhancement fund). Assessments have also been increased by voter initiative. See A.R.S. § 16-954(C) (enacted by Proposition 200, as approved by voters in 1998 general election). The penalty assessment generates revenue that supports various State programs. See A.R.S. §§ 16-954(C) (using penalty assessment to fund clean elections program for the public financing of certain campaigns), 41-2401(D) (allocating assessment money to the Department of Juvenile Corrections, the Peace Officers’ Training Fund, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Law, the Department of Corrections, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, the State General Fund and various other funds established by statute). The jurisdiction imposing the fine, penalty, or forfeiture is required to collect these State penalty assessments and transmit them to the State Treasurer for distribution to the various programs as directed by statute. A.R.S. §§ 12-116.01(G), (H), -116.02.