New year starts with higher fees

Divorce papers to DMV, it'll cost Californians more

By Jim Sanders
Bee Capitol Bureau

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Psst, here's a secret for avoiding higher state fees after today: Drive carefully, park right, wear seat belts, don't get divorced and stay out of jail.

Most of the coming increases target avoidable behavior or court filings ranging from small claims spats to marital splits to massive lawsuits.

But registering vehicles will cost everyone more. The jump began in December but will hit families throughout 2009 as renewals become due.

NOW ON THE BOOKS

Here are some additional laws taking effect today:
- SAFER TOYS: Compounds called phthalates no longer can be used in toys and other products designed for children younger than 3. Phthalates are mainly used to increase the flexibility of plastic and are commonly found in teething rings and other chewable baby toys. Studies have found that the chemical mimics the hormone estrogen and could lead to early puberty in girls and low sperm counts, genital defects and lower testosterone in boys.
- TROUBLED TEACHERS: Two Senate bills make it tougher for teachers who commit sex crimes to remain in public schools. One allows the state to revoke the licenses of teachers who plead no contest to certain sex crimes or drug offenses without waiting for a discretionary review that can take two or three years. The other allows the California Teacher Credentialing Commission to revoke teachers' licenses automatically if a previous criminal conviction has limited their contact with children.
- PET STORES: An Assembly bill sets standards for the care of animals sold in pet stores, including requiring that their enclosures be cleaned frequently and that the stores be kept free of pests.
- SOLAR SHADE: One law wades into the debate between tree lovers and solar energy advocates. Property owners can be fined up to $1,000 a day if their plants or trees shade a neighbor's solar collectors. The law exempts foliage planted before the solar energy system was installed.
- WAVE POOLS: Wave pool operators will have to provide life vests to nonswimmers, children who are less than 42 inches tall and any other patrons who request them. The law also requires that children under 42 inches wear a life vest and be accompanied by an adult.
- MARRIED NAMES: The state is removing legal hurdles that men have to navigate if they want to take all or part of their wives' names when they wed. The law alters marriage license and domestic partner forms to enable either person, or both, to change middle or last names.
- SCHOOL NEWSPAPERS: Administrators will be prohibited from retaliating against high school and college journalism instructors for refusing to censor student newspapers. The law makes it illegal to dismiss, transfer or discipline teachers for protecting students' free-speech rights.

Republicans blocked tax increases this year, but not every fee hike, which requires only a simple majority vote of each legislative house.

Specifically, Californians after today will pay an additional:

$35 for traffic tickets, including offenses such as failing to wear a seat belt or driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone.

$30 to sue for divorce.

$25 to register for traffic school to resolve a moving violation.

$20 for backyard fence disputes, fender benders or other small-claims fights.

$15 for vehicle tickets to correct broken or dysfunctional equipment.

$11 to register cars with the Department of Motor Vehicles each year.

$3 for not feeding parking meters, exceeding time limits on painted curbs, or other ticketed parking offenses.

Court fees to file the first papers in a divorce, probate or "unlimited" civil action with more than $25,000 at stake will rise from the current $320 to $350.

Plaintiffs and defendants will be charged the higher fees.

Criminals will get socked with an extra $30 in fines for each felony or misdemeanor conviction. Costs may be reduced or converted to community service in some cases based on hardship.

Bars, restaurants, liquor stores and other sellers of beer, wine or distilled spirits will pay 12 percent more for their annual liquor licenses beginning today.

A state collection tactic starting today will take about $4 million annually from Californians and funnel it into state coffers without raising taxes or fees.

Taxpayers owing a payment of more than $20,000 or having a total liability exceeding $80,000 will be required to file electronically or be fined 1 percent of the payment. The state expects to profit by earning interest sooner than it does now.

Many other fee or tax proposals died, including measures targeting paper or plastic bags carried from stores, provisional driver's licenses, property insurance, buildings in high-risk fire areas, and shipping containers at major ports.

Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said his impression is that lawmakers largely held the line on raising costs in an election year with 100 legislative seats up for grabs.

But to those Californians forced to dig deeper into their pocketbooks, it won't matter much whether the higher tab officially is a tax hike, according to Coupal.

Lawmakers "would have a hard time selling the public on, 'Oh, this is OK because it's a fee, not a tax,' " Coupal said.

Taxes may be used for general government operations and reserves, while fees are meant to offset costs of providing a particular service, such as charging liquor fees to enforce liquor laws.

Higher vehicle registration fees are expected to raise about $490 million annually for the California Highway Patrol; the higher traffic ticket and court fees, $280 million per year for court improvements; and higher liquor license fees, $3.6 million annually for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.