Section 10901.

(a) Pursuant to Section 1872.8 of the Insurance Code, proceeds from the assessment imposed thereunder shall be used to fund prevention and increased investigation of economic automobile theft. Funds received pursuant to Section 1872.8 shall be deposited in the Motor Vehicle Account and appropriated to the Department of the California Highway Patrol for prevention and enhanced investigative efforts to deter economic automobile theft.

(b) Moneys received by the commissioner pursuant to this section shall be used to fund (1) enhanced programs to prevent and investigate economic automobile theft; (2) a program directed at investigating and interdicting the export of stolen motor vehicles and stolen motor vehicle components across an international border; and (3) to operate the CAL H.E.A.T (Californians Help Eliminate Auto Theft) program. Moneys received by a local law enforcement agency pursuant to this section shall be used to fund enhanced programs to prevent and investigate economic automobile theft and shall not be used to supplant or replace funding of existing personnel or equipment.

The commissioner shall submit an annual report to the Legislature, no later than 90 days following the completion of the fiscal year, accounting for all funds received and disbursed pursuant to this section. The report shall detail (A) the uses to which those funds were put, including payment of salaries and expenses, purchase of equipment and supplies, and other expenditures by type; and (B) results achieved as a consequence of expenditures made, including the number of investigations, arrests, complaints filed, convictions, and the number of vehicles recovered and amounts of property losses saved.

(c) As used in this section, "economic automobile theft" means automobile theft perpetrated for financial gain, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Theft of a motor vehicle for financial gain.

(2) Reporting that a motor vehicle has been stolen for the purpose of filing a false insurance claim.

(3) Engaging in any act prohibited by Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 10801) of Division 4 this code.

(4) Switching of vehicle identification numbers to obtain title to a stolen motor vehicle.

(Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1248, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1995.)