ARTICLE 6. Alcohol Assessment [23645. - 23650.]

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH 6.
in effect

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 23645. Section 23645.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c), any person convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 shall, in addition to any other fine, assessment, or imprisonment imposed pursuant to law, pay an alcohol abuse education and prevention penalty assessment in an amount not to exceed fifty dollars ($50) for deposit and distribution pursuant to Section 1463.25 of the Penal Code. (b) The payment of the penalty assessment under this section shall be ordered upon conviction of a person of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 irrespective of any other proceeding and, if probation is granted, the payment of the penalty assessment shall also be ordered as a condition of probation, except in unusual cases that are subject to subdivision (d) of Section 1464 of the Penal Code. (c) The court shall determine if the defendant has the ability to pay a penalty assessment. If the court determines that the defendant has the ability to pay a penalty assessment, the court may set the amount to be paid and order the defendant to pay that sum to the county in the manner in which the court believes reasonable and compatible with the defendant’s financial ability. In making a determination of whether a defendant has the ability to pay, the court shall take into account the amount of any fine imposed upon the defendant and any amount the defendant has been ordered to pay in restitution. If the court determines that the defendant does not have the ability to pay a penalty assessment, the defendant shall not be required to pay a penalty assessment. (d) Five percent of the funds allocated to primary prevention programs to the school and the communities pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11802 of the Health and Safety Code shall be used to conduct an annual evaluation. The annual evaluation shall be conducted by the office of the county superintendent of schools in counties where the program is operating in a single county or in the office of the county superintendent of schools in the county designated as the lead county in counties where the program is operating as a consortium of counties. The evaluation shall contain the following: (1) A needs assessment evaluation that provides specific data regarding the problem to be resolved. (2) A written report of the planning process outlining the deliberations, considerations, and conclusions following a review of the needs assessment. (3) An end of fiscal year accountability evaluation that will indicate the program’s continuing ability to reach appropriate program beneficiaries, deliver the appropriate benefits, and use funds appropriately. (4) An impact evaluation charged with the task of assessing the effectiveness of the program. Guidelines for the evaluation report format and the timeliness for the submission of the report shall be developed by the State Department of Education. Each county shall submit an evaluation report annually to the State Department of Education and the State Department of Education shall write and submit a report to the Legislature and Governor.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 23646. Section 23646.

(a) Each county alcohol program administrator or the administrator’s designee shall develop, implement, operate, and administer an alcohol and drug problem assessment program pursuant to this article for each person described in subdivision (b). The alcohol and drug problem assessment program may include a referral and client tracking component. (b) (1) The court shall order a person to participate in an alcohol and drug problem assessment program pursuant to this section and Sections 23647 to 23649, inclusive, and the related regulations of the State Department of Health Care Services, if the person was convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 that occurred within 10 years of a separate violation of Section 23152 or 23153 that resulted in a conviction. (2) A court may order a person convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 to attend an alcohol and drug problem assessment program pursuant to this article. (3) The court shall order a person convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 who has previously been convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 that occurred more than 10 years ago, or has been previously convicted of a violation of subdivision (f) of Section 647 of the Penal Code, to attend and complete an alcohol and drug problem assessment program under this article. In order to determine whether a previous conviction for a violation occurring more than 10 years ago exists, the court shall rely on state summary criminal history information, local summary history information, or records made available to the judge through the district attorney. (c) The State Department of Health Care Services shall establish minimum specifications for alcohol and other drug problem assessments and reports.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 23647. Section 23647.

(a) Any person convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 who is required to participate in a county alcohol and drug problem assessment program shall participate in that program. (b) Any person convicted of a violation of Section 23103, as specified in Section 23103.5, in a judicial district that participates in a county alcohol and drug problem assessment program pursuant to this article, may be ordered to participate in the program.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 23648. Section 23648.

(a) Each county shall prepare, or contract to be prepared, an alcohol and drug problem assessment report on each person described in subdivision (b) of Section 23646. (b) The assessment report shall include, if applicable, a recommendation for any additional treatment and the duration of the treatment. The treatment shall be in addition to the education and counseling program required under Section 11837 of the Health and Safety Code. The assessment report shall be submitted to the court not more than 14 days after the date the assessment was conducted. (c) Within 30 days of the receipt of the report, the court shall order the person to complete the recommendations set forth in the report in satisfaction of, and consistent with, the terms and conditions of probation. If the court elects not to order the completion of the recommended plan, the court shall specify on the record its reason for not adopting these recommendations. (d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2000.

Cal. Vehicle Code - VEH § 23649. Section 23649.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in addition to any other fine or penalty assessment, there shall be levied an assessment of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) upon every fine, penalty, or forfeiture imposed and collected by the courts for a violation of Section 23152 or 23153 in any judicial district that participates in a county alcohol and drug problem assessment program. An assessment of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) shall be imposed and collected by the courts from each person convicted of a violation of Section 23103, as specified in Section 23103.5, who is ordered to participate in a county alcohol and drug problem assessment program pursuant to Section 23647. (b) The court shall determine if the defendant has the ability to pay the assessment. If the court determines that the defendant has the ability to pay the assessment then the court may set the amount to be reimbursed and order the defendant to pay that sum to the county in the manner that the court determines is reasonable and compatible with the defendant’s financial ability. In making a determination of whether a defendant has the ability to pay, the court shall take into account the amount of any fine imposed upon the defendant and any amount the defendant has been ordered to pay in restitution. (c) Notwithstanding Section 1463 or 1464 of the Penal Code or any other provision of law, all moneys collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a special account in the county treasury and shall be used exclusively by the county alcohol program administrator or the administrator’s designee to pay for the costs of developing, implementing, operating, maintaining, and evaluating alcohol and drug problem assessment programs. (d) On January 15 of each year, the treasurer of each county that administers an alcohol and drug problem assessment program shall determine those moneys in the special account that were not expended during the preceding fiscal year, and shall transfer those moneys to the general fund of the county. (e) Any moneys remaining in the special account, if and when the alcohol and drug problem assessment program is terminated, shall be transferred to the general fund of the county. (f) The county treasurer shall annually transfer an amount of money equal to the county’s administrative cost incurred pursuant to this section, as he or she shall determine, from the special account to the general fund of the county.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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