Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §1057, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 1997, c. 395, Pt. O, §1, is further amended to read:

2-A. Surcharge imposed. A surcharge of 12% must be added to every fine, forfeiture or penalty imposed by any court in this State, which, for the purposes of collection and collection procedures, is considered a part of the fine, forfeiture or penalty. All funds collected as a result of this surcharge must be deposited monthly in the Government Operations Surcharge Fund. One-sixth One sixth of the surcharge collected must be paid to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to supplement current funds for training and recertification of part-time and full-time law enforcement officers. This subsection takes effect January 1, 2001 or when the funding for the operation of the Judicial Department's computer system lapses, whichever occurs first. One sixth of the surcharge must be paid to the Department of the Attorney General for use by the Maine Computer Crimes Task Force pursuant to subsection 5.

Sec. 2. 4 MRSA §1057, sub-§5 is enacted to read:

5.__Payment to Attorney General for use by Maine Computer Crimes Task Force.__Monthly, the Treasurer of State shall make payments from the Government Operations Surcharge Fund to the Department of the Attorney General in the amount equal to 1/6 of the surcharges received by the Treasurer of State for use by the Maine Computer Crimes Task Force.__The task force is a collaborative partnership under the auspices of the Attorney General and includes the State Police, the United States Attorney and local law enforcement agencies.__The purpose of the task force is to investigate and assist those law enforcement agencies in the State that investigate crimes involving computers.

SUMMARY

This bill directs that 1/6 of the Government Operations Surcharge Fund, which consists of a surcharge added to every court-imposed fine, forfeiture or penalty in this State, must be paid to the Attorney General for use by the Maine Computer Crimes Task Force.