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Bill Would Tack One Dollar on to Many Traffic Fines

Joe Moore
/
Valley Public Radio

A bill that would increase many traffic fines to pay for spinal cord research has passed the California Senate. It also has an unusual mix of supporters.

The legislation would add a one dollar fee to all moving violations. The estimated $3.5 million a year raised would go to fund spinal cord injury research at the University of California. The floor debate was unusual because some Republicans supported the new fee, while some Democrats opposed it.

“I often don’t vote aye on fee bills but I think this is an exception and I think the exception here is the severity of these spinal cord injuries which often occur directly from traffic accidents," said Republican Senator Mark Wyland.

But Democratic Senator Gloria Negrette-Mcleod said traffic fines are already high due to other added fees. “Since I have been here, we have nickeled and dimed everything because everybody wants five dollars, ten dollars, fifty dollars, so I’m just not going to vote on this bill.”

The bill goes back to the Assembly next, before it could head to Governor Jerry Brown.