Section 54985 - Authority to increase or decrease fee or charge(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law that prescribes an amount or otherwise limits the amount of a fee or charge that may be levied by a county, a county service area, or a county waterworks district governed by a county board of supervisors, a county board of supervisors shall have the authority to increase or decrease the fee or charge, that is otherwise authorized to be levied by another provision of law, in the amount reasonably necessary to recover the cost of providing any product or service or the cost of enforcing any regulation for which the fee or charge is levied. The fee or charge may reflect the average cost of providing any product or service or enforcing any regulation. Indirect costs that may be reflected in the cost of providing any product or service or the cost of enforcing any regulation shall be limited to those items that are included in the federal Office of Management and Budget Circular A-87 on January 1, 1984.(b) If any person disputes whether a fee or charge levied pursuant to subdivision (a) is reasonable, the board of supervisors may request the county auditor to conduct a study and to determine whether the fee or charge is reasonable. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to mean that the county shall not continue to be subject to fee review procedures required by Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
(c) This chapter shall not apply to any of the following:(1) Any fee charged or collected by a court clerk pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 116.110) of Title 1 of Part 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure, Title 8 (commencing with Section 68070) of the Government Code, or Section 103470 of the Health and Safety Code, or any other fee or charge that may be assessed, charged, collected, or levied pursuant to law for filing judicial documents or for other judicial functions.(2) Any fees charged or collected pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 6100) of Division 7 of Title 1.(3) Any standby or availability assessment or charge.(4) Any fee charged or collected by a county agricultural commissioner.(5) Any fee charged or collected pursuant to Article 2.1 (commencing with Section 12240) of Chapter 2 of Division 5 of the Business and Professions Code.(6) Any fee charged or collected by a county recorder or local registrar for filing, recording, or indexing any document, performing any service, issuing any certificate, or providing a copy of any document pursuant to Section 27361, 27361.1, 27361.3, 27361.4, 27364, 27365, or 27366 of the Government Code, Section 103625 of the Health and Safety Code, or Section 9525 of the Commercial Code.(7) Any fee charged or collected pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 26720) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code.Amended by Stats 2009 ch 606 (SB 676),s 3, eff. 1/1/2010.Amended by Stats 2005 ch 75 (AB 145),s 98, eff. 7/19/2005, op. 1/1/2006Amended by Stats 2000 ch 135 (AB 2539), s 82, eff. 1/1/2001.EFFECTIVE 7/01/2001. Amended October 10, 1999 (Bill Number: SB 45) (Chapter 991).