AB 3135: Traffic safety: state funding.

(1)The California Constitution requires the Governor to submit a budget for the ensuing fiscal year to the Legislature within the first 10 days of each regular session. Existing law requires that budget to contain a complete plan and itemized statement of all proposed expenditures of the state provided by existing law or recommended by the Governor, and of all estimated revenues, as specified. Existing law creates the Department of Finance and provides that the department has general powers of supervision over all matters concerning the financial and business policies of the state.

Existing law establishes the Department of the California Highway Patrol to enforce all laws regulating the operation of vehicles and the use of the highways.

This bill would require the annual budget proposed by the Governor, for the 201920 fiscal year to the 202324 fiscal year, inclusive, to include the level of funding and position authority necessary for the Department of the California Highway Patrol to add 120 approved officer positions each of those fiscal years.

(2)The California Constitution restricts the expenditure of revenues from taxes imposed by the state on fuels used in motor vehicles upon public streets and highways to street and highway and certain mass transit purposes, and restricts the expenditure of revenues from fees and taxes imposed by the state on vehicles or their use or operation to state administration and enforcement of laws regulating the use, operation, or registration of vehicles used on the public streets and highways, including the enforcement of traffic and vehicle laws by state agencies and the mitigation of the environmental effects of motor vehicle operation due to air and sound emissions, as well as to street and highway and certain mass transit purposes.

Existing law imposes certain registration fees on vehicles, with revenues from these fees deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account and used, among other things, to fund the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of the California Highway Patrol. Existing law provides for the monthly transfer of excess balances in the Motor Vehicle Account to the State Highway Account.

This bill would establish as a first priority the use of motor vehicle revenues deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account for the state administration and enforcement of laws regulating the use, operation, or registration of vehicles used on the public streets and highways of this state, including the enforcement of traffic and vehicle laws by state agencies.