HOUSE TAXATION AND REVENUE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL 179

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO MISDEMEANOR FEES; RAISING THE TRAFFIC SAFETY FEE TO SIX DOLLARS ($6.00) FOR THE TRAFFIC SAFETY EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT FUND; IMPOSING AN INTERLOCK DEVICE FEE OF TWO DOLLARS ($2.00) FOR THE INTERLOCK DEVICE FUND; DIRECTING THE DISPOSITION OF CERTAIN PENALTY ASSESSMENT MISDEMEANOR RECEIPTS; RECONCILING MULTIPLE AMENDMENTS TO THE SAME SECTION OF LAW IN LAWS 2009; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 62, Section 92, as amended) is amended to read:

     "35-6-1. MAGISTRATE COSTS--SCHEDULE--DEFINITION OF

"CONVICTED".--

          A. Magistrate judges, including metropolitan court judges, shall assess and collect and shall not waive, defer or suspend the following costs:

     docket fee, criminal actions under Section 29-5-1 NMSA           1978. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1.00;

     docket fee, to be collected prior to docketing any other

          criminal action, except as provided in Subsection B

          of Section 35-6-3 NMSA 1978. . . . . . . . . 20.00.

Proceeds from this docket fee shall be transferred to the administrative office of the courts for deposit in the court facilities fund;

docket fee, twenty dollars ($20.00) of which shall be deposited in the court automation fund and fifteen dollars ($15.00) of which shall be deposited in the civil legal services fund, to be collected prior to docketing any civil action,

     except as provided in Subsection A of Section 35-6-3       NMSA 1978. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.00;

jury fee, to be collected from the party demanding trial by jury in any civil action at the time the demand is filed or made. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.00;

copying fee, for making and certifying copies of any records in the court, for each page copied by photographic process. . . . . . . . . . . [50] 0.50.

Proceeds from this copying fee shall be transferred to the administrative office of the courts for deposit in the court facilities fund; and

     copying fee, for computer-generated or electronically

transferred copies, per page. . . . . . . . . .1.00.

Proceeds from this copying fee shall be transferred

to the administrative office of the courts for

deposit in the court automation fund.

    Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, docket fees shall be paid into the court facilities fund.

         B. Except as otherwise provided by law, no other costs or fees shall be charged or collected in the magistrate or metropolitan court.

         C. The magistrate or metropolitan court may grant free process to any party in any civil proceeding or special statutory proceeding upon a proper showing of indigency. The magistrate or metropolitan court may deny free process if it finds that the complaint on its face does not state a cause of action.

         D. As used in this subsection, "convicted" means the defendant has been found guilty of a criminal charge by the magistrate or metropolitan judge, either after trial, a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo contendere. Magistrate judges, including metropolitan court judges, shall assess and collect and shall not waive, defer or suspend the following costs:

             (1) corrections fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle, convicted of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor or convicted of violating any ordinance that may be enforced by the imposition of a term of imprisonment as follows:

in a county with a metropolitan court. . . . . . . .$10.00;

     in a county without a metropolitan court. . . . . . 20.00;

             (2) court automation fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle, convicted of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor or convicted of violating any ordinance that may be enforced by the imposition of a term of

imprisonment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.00;

             (3) traffic safety fee, to be collected upon

conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[3.00] 6.00;

             (4) judicial education fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of operating a motor vehicle in violation of the Motor Vehicle Code, convicted of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor or convicted of violating any ordinance punishable by a term of

imprisonment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.00;

             (5) jury and witness fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of operating a motor vehicle in violation of the Motor Vehicle Code, convicted of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor or convicted of violating any ordinance punishable by a term of imprisonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.00;

             (6) juvenile adjudication fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.00;

             [(6)] (7) brain injury services fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.00;

[and]

             (8) an interlock device fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2.00;

and

             [(7)] (9) court facilities fee, to be collected upon conviction from persons convicted of violating any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code involving the operation of a motor vehicle, convicted of a crime constituting a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor or convicted of violating any ordinance that may be enforced by the imposition of a term of imprisonment as follows:

    in a county with a metropolitan court. . . . . . . .24.00;

in any other county. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.00.

         E. Metropolitan court judges shall assess and collect and shall not waive, defer or suspend as costs a mediation fee not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for the docketing of small claims and criminal actions specified by metropolitan court rule. Proceeds of the mediation fee shall be deposited into the metropolitan court mediation fund."

    Section 2. Section 35-7-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 62, Section 99, as amended) is amended to read:

    "35-7-4. MAGISTRATE ADMINISTRATION--MONTHLY

REMITTANCES.--Each magistrate court shall pay to the administrative office of the courts, not later than the date each month established by regulation of the director of the administrative office, the amount of all fines, forfeitures and costs collected by the court during the previous month, except for amounts disbursed in accordance with law. The administrative office shall return to each magistrate court a written receipt itemizing all money received. The administrative office shall deposit the amount of all fines and forfeitures with the state treasurer for credit to the current school fund. The administrative office shall deposit the amount of all costs, except all costs collected pursuant to Subsections D and E of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978, for credit to the general fund. The amount of all costs collected pursuant to Subsections D and E of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 shall be credited as follows:

         A. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (1) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the local government corrections fund;

         B. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (2) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the court automation fund;

         C. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (3) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the traffic safety education and enforcement fund;

         D. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (4) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the judicial education fund;

         E. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (5) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the jury and witness fee fund;

         F. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (6) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the juvenile adjudication fund;

         [F.] G. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph [(6)] (7) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the brain injury services fund;

         H. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph (8) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the interlock device fund;

         [G.] I. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Paragraph [(7)] (9) of Subsection D of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the court facilities fund; and

         [H.] J. the amount of all costs collected pursuant to Subsection E of Section 35-6-1 NMSA 1978 for credit to the metropolitan court mediation fund."

    Section 3. Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 318, Section 35, Laws 1989, Chapter 319, Section 14 and also Laws 1989, Chapter 320, Section 5, as amended by Laws 2009, Chapter 244, Section 1 and by Laws 2009, Chapter 245, Section 5) is amended to read:

    "66-8-116.3. PENALTY ASSESSMENT MISDEMEANORS--ADDITIONAL FEES.--In addition to the penalty assessment established for each penalty assessment misdemeanor, there shall be assessed:

         A. in a county without a metropolitan court, twenty dollars ($20.00) to help defray the costs of local government corrections;

         B. a court automation fee of ten dollars ($10.00);

         C. a traffic safety fee of [three dollars ($3.00)] six dollars ($6.00), which shall be credited to the traffic safety education and enforcement fund;

         D. a judicial education fee of three dollars ($3.00), which shall be credited to the judicial education fund;

         E. a jury and witness fee of five dollars ($5.00), which shall be credited to the jury and witness fee fund;

         [E.] F. a juvenile adjudication fee of one dollar ($1.00), which shall be credited to the juvenile adjudication fund;

         [F.] G. a brain injury services fee of five dollars ($5.00), which shall be credited to the brain injury services fund; [and

         G.] H. a court facilities fee as follows:

in a county with a metropolitan court. . . . . . . . . .$24.00;

in any other county. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00;

and

         I. an interlock device fee of two dollars ($2.00), which shall be credited to the interlock device fund."

    Section 4. Section 66-8-119 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1968, Chapter 62, Section 159, as amended) is amended to read:

    "66-8-119. PENALTY ASSESSMENT REVENUE--DISPOSITION.--

         A. The division shall remit all penalty assessment receipts, except receipts collected pursuant to Subsections A through [G] I of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978, to the state treasurer for credit to the general fund.

         B. The division shall remit all penalty assessment fee receipts collected pursuant to:

             (1) Subsection A of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the local government corrections fund;

             (2) Subsection B of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the court automation fund;

             (3) Subsection C of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the traffic safety education and enforcement fund;

             (4) Subsection D of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the judicial education fund;

             (5) Subsection E of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the jury and witness fee fund;

             (6) Subsection F of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the juvenile adjudication fund;

             [(6)] (7) Subsection [F] G of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the brain injury services fund; [and

             (7)] (8) Subsection [G] H of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the court facilities fund; and

             (9) Subsection I of Section 66-8-116.3 NMSA 1978 to the state treasurer for credit to the interlock device fund."

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