Assigned to JUDE & APPROP FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1103
penalty assessment; victims' rights enforcement
Purpose
Increases, from $2 to $4, the penalty assessment that is levied on fines, penalties and
forfeitures that are deposited into the Victims' Rights Enforcement Fund (Fund).
Background
A penalty assessment of $2 is levied on every fine, penalty and forfeiture that is imposed
and collected by the courts for: 1) criminal offenses; 2) civil traffic violations; 3) motor vehicle
violations; 4) violations of any local ordinance related to the stopping, standing or operation of a
vehicle; and 5) game and fish violations. The court must transmit the collected penalty assessments
with a remittance report to the county treasurer, except that assessments collected by the municipal
court are transmitted with a remittance report to the city or town treasurer. The city, town or county
treasurer transmits the assessments received from the respective court to the State Treasurer to
deposit in the Fund. The Fund is administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to
annually distribute to nonprofit organizations and entities that demonstrate a five-year history of
providing no cost legal representation to enforce the rights of crime victims as counsel of record
in criminal cases, as well as social services to assist the crime victim during the course of legal
representation. Each organization and entity that receives funding from the Fund must submit an
annual report to DPS that includes the organization's or entity's budget for the program and all
sources and amounts of public monies that are spent on the program that provides the prescribed
services to crime victims (A.R.S. ยง 41-1727).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Increases, from $2 to $4, the penalty assessment that is levied on fines, penalties and forfeitures
that are collected as outlined and deposited into the Fund.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 27, 2025
ZD/KS/ci