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Conduct a public hearing to consider increasing a motor vehicle registration fee from $1 to $2 and a commercial vehicle registration fee from $2 to $4 pursuant to California Vehicle Code §9250.19 as authorized by Assembly Bill 2393 (2014) to exclusively fund the fingerprint identification program; and Adopt a resolution imposing the fees, effective October 1, 2025, to be distributed to the California identification fund administered by the Sheriff’s Office
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Published Notice Required? Yes___X___ No _______
Public Hearing Required? Yes X No _______
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Conduct a public hearing to consider increasing a motor vehicle registration fee from $1 to $2 and a commercial vehicle registration fee from $2 to $4 pursuant to California Vehicle Code §9250.19 as authorized by Assembly Bill 2393 (2014) to exclusively fund the fingerprint identification program; and
2. Adopt a resolution imposing the fees, effective October 1, 2025, to be distributed to the California identification fund administered by the Sheriff’s Office.
SUMMARY:
Previous legislation California Senate Bill 720 (1997) originally authorized the imposition of a $1 fee to be added to vehicle registration fees for the automation of fingerprinting systems under the fingerprint identification program (Cal-ID). On December 9, 1997, the Board approved this initial fee with Resolution 97-300 (Attachment A). In 2001 the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act established the $2 registration fee on commercial motor vehicles for those agencies who previously implemented the $1 registration fee on motor vehicles. On August 25, 2014, the California Legislature passed new legislation, California Assembly Bill 2393, to restore some of the lost purchasing power of the original fee and to fund further advances in technology, allowing the fee to increase from $1 to $2 for motor vehicle registration and from $2 to $4 for commercial vehicle registration. The bill was then signed into law by the Governor. The vehicle registration increase is to be paid at the time of registration or renewal of a vehicle registered to an address within Solano County, except those expressly exempted from payment of registration fees. Adoption of the resolution will assist the Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement agencies in the field identification of individuals.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact to the County General Fund. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires a one-time $40,000 programming fee to set up the collection of this vehicle registration fee increase. DMV will recover this one-time cost through the fee revenues.
The Automated Identification Fund anticipates receiving $419,689 in vehicle registration fee revenue for FY2024/25. The Automated Identification Fund funds the operating expenses of the Cal-ID program in the Sheriff’s operating budget. If the Board approves the vehicle registration fee increase, the revenue should increase to an estimated $840,000 annually. The increase will primarily be earmarked to build the fund balance for the future purchase of new automated biometric identification software and/or upgrade existing systems.
The Solano automated identification system includes both biometric identification software and hardware. Fifteen LiveScan stations and 130 portable fingerprint identification devices are deployed to the Sheriff’s Office, the Probation Department, and local city police departments. System hardware including maintenance and support is not funded by the Automated Identification Fund as the cost is reimbursed by the owner agencies.
The cost associated with preparing the agenda item is nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) started the Cal-ID program in the late 1980’s to provide a way to verify the identity of persons placed under arrest and to assist law enforcement agencies in identifying possible criminal suspects and/or human remains, using fingerprint evidence gathered at crime scenes. Limited funding for the technology and equipment created a barrier to implementation of Cal-ID. As a result, SB 720 (1997) authorized the imposition of a $1 fee to be added to vehicle registration fees for the automation of fingerprinting systems. In 2001 the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act established the $2 registration fee on commercial motor vehicles for those agencies who previously implemented the $1 registration fee on motor vehicles. Currently, 45 counties impose the fee.
With the advancement of biometric science and technology, equipment costs have risen over time and continue to rise. Concerned legislators introduced AB 2393 to combat this issue. The bill was passed in the California Legislature and then signed into law by the Governor on August 25, 2014. Chapter 292, Statutes of 2014, authorizes a county that has adopted a resolution to impose the $1 vehicle registration fee, to increase that fee to $2 in the same manner that it imposed the initial $1 fee. The County must then submit the Board-approved resolution to increase the fees pursuant to this provision to the DMV at least six months prior to the operative date of the fee. Currently, 10 of the 45 counties impose the increase with one additional county recently submitting a resolution approving the increase. There have been concerns among counties that this increase could be considered a tax requiring voter approval; however, the Solano RAN Board agrees this increase shares the same nexus as the original fee. To date, neither the original fee nor the increase has been challenged.
Recent technology advancements include sending/receiving identification needed to authenticate individuals in the field. Identification is no longer limited to fingerprints, but also includes retinal scans, facial scans, palm-prints, and thumbprints. These advancements offer significant benefits to law enforcement, such as the ability to: authenticate individuals remotely and avoid bringing individual to a booking facility, identify dangerous individuals, identify individuals with outstanding arrest warrants, confirm instances of mistaken identity, and view a driver’s license photograph from the field.
Solano County’s current automated biometric identification software was purchased in 2019 for approximately $750,000. The software is estimated to have a useful life of seven to eight years. The cost for new cloud-based software is estimated to be over $1.7 million. Without Board approval of the vehicle registration fee increase, the Automated Identification Fund is not projected to have sufficient fund balance in 2028 to purchase a new system.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt the resolution, thereby maintaining the funding at or about the same level; however, this alternative is not recommended as additional funding will be needed in the next four years to purchase a new countywide automated fingerprinting system that will benefit the Sheriff’s Office and all local city law enforcement agencies.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel reviewed the statute and has determined the County Board of Supervisors may impose this fee with a majority vote. The Solano County RAN Board supports the Sheriff’s recommendation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION