California · Government Code

GOV §26614.6: (a) Notwithstanding Article 8 (commencing with Section 53150) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5, whenever a county or city and county is billed for a search or rescue of one of its resid

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

Counties and cities may seek reimbursement from residents age 16+ for search and rescue costs if caused by intentional criminal conduct resulting in conviction, subject to a $12,000 cap and inability-to-pay exemptions.

Read the full statutory text

(a) Notwithstanding Article 8 (commencing with Section 53150) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5, whenever a county or city and county is billed for a search or rescue of one of its residents who is 16 years of age or older by another county or city and county, the county or city and county receiving the bill may in turn seek reimbursement for the actual costs incurred, including, but not limited to, the cost of operating vehicles or aircraft, the salaries of employees, and the cost of providing emergency medical services, from that resident if the need for the search or rescue necessitated the use of extraordinary methods and was caused by an intentional act in knowing violation of any federal or state law or local ordinance that resulted in a criminal conviction of that person for that act. (b) (1) The county or city and county shall not collect charges from those persons whom the county or city and county determines are unable to pay the charges. (2) A county or city and county shall not bill a resident under this section more than twelve thousand dollars ($12,000), adjusted annually for inflation as measured by the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index from January 1 of the prior year to January 1 of the current year, as determined by the Department of Industrial Relations, for a search or rescue unless the search or rescue was caused by an act described in subdivision (a) that resulted in a felony conviction of that resident under any federal or state law. (c) The county or city and county may only seek reimbursement as authorized by this section if the board of supervisors of that county or city and county passes an ordinance consistent with this section.

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