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A 8672

Eliminates court surcharges and fees; repealer

2025 Regular Session Introduced by George Alvarez and 41 co-sponsors

Eliminates all court-imposed surcharges and fees and repeals the statutes that authorize them, reducing costs for defendants and reshaping court funding.

REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · A 8672

A 8672 — Eliminates court surcharges and fees; repealer

A summary of the bill as introduced and currently before the Assembly Codes Committee.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill seeks to eliminate all court-imposed surcharges and fees and to repeal the statutes that authorize or mandate those surcharges and fees.
  • By removing these assessments, the bill aims to reduce the financial burden on individuals subject to court-imposed costs and simplify the statutory framework governing court funding mechanisms.

Key provisions (as indicated by the bill title)

  • Repeals and prohibits the imposition of court surcharges and fees currently authorized or required by statute.
  • Repeals would apply to the statutory authorities that authorize such surcharges and fees (i.e., the underlying statutes that create, fund, or impose these charges).
  • The bill does not specify alternative funding mechanisms within the provided information; the text would determine transition rules, exemptions, or timelines (if any).

Who would be affected

  • Individuals who face fines, penalties, or other court-imposed charges that currently include surcharges or fees.
  • Courts and court administrative offices that collect or administer these surcharges and fees.
  • Local governments that may have relied on surcharge revenues to fund court operations or related programs.
  • Potential downstream services currently funded by surcharge revenue (e.g., victim services, crime prevention, or facility costs) depending on the scope of the repeals and any transitional language.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: May 27, 2025.
  • Current status: REFERRED TO CODES (Assembly Codes Committee), with the listed action dated May 27, 2025. No floor votes or further committee actions are shown in the provided material.
  • Referred to Codes indicates the bill is assigned for consideration by the Codes Committee, typical for legislation affecting criminal law and court procedures.

Related and companion legislation

  • Related bills from prior sessions: A 11083, A 2348, A 4183.
  • Companion bill: S 318 (listed as a companion—appears twice in the provided materials).

Sponsors

  • Primary sponsor: Karines Reyes.
  • Notable cosponsors (partial list): Sarahana Shrestha, MaryJane Shimsky, Marcela Mitaynes, Alicia Hyndman, Jo Anne Simon, Monique Chandler-Waterman, Andrew Hevesi, Chantel Jackson, Linda Rosenthal, Michaelle C. Solages, Dana Levenberg, Demond Meeks, Chris Burdick, Amanda Septimo, Charles Lavine, Eddie Gibbs, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Deborah Glick, Maritza Davila, George Alvarez, Rebecca Seawright, Zohran Mamdani, Emily Gallagher, Tony Simone, Catalina Cruz, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Jonathan Rivera, Latrice Walker, Phil Steck, Vivian Cook, Alex Bores, Robert C. Carroll, Harry B. Bronson, John Zaccaro Jr., Steven Raga, Al Taylor, Khaleel Anderson, Stefani Zinerman, and many others, with Reyes identified as the primary sponsor.

Fiscal and policy considerations (high level)

  • Removing court surcharges and fees would reduce revenue streams currently dedicated to funding court operations, facilities, and related programs unless offset by new funding sources or reallocation.
  • The bill would impact the financial obligations faced by defendants and may reduce barriers to accessing the courts for some individuals.
  • Specific fiscal notes, transition rules, and implementation details would be in the bill’s text and any accompanying fiscal analysis.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to emphasize specific stakeholder impacts or compare to the related bills listed.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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