“These assessments not only don’t work, they also disproportionately harm Black and Brown Californians, because they’re more likely to be targeted for minor traffic violations,” state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, said in a statement.
The report said California’s late-payment fees are far higher than those in most other states — a maximum of $30 in Delaware, for example. Someone who runs a red light in California, then fails to pay the ticket on time, can be charged $538 in fines and fees in California, compared with $234 in Texas and $112 in New Hampshire, the report said.