Assembly Bill 288, the latest attempt by Assembly Member Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) to provide residents paying the State Responsibility Area (SRA) fee with a longer payment deadline, was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee last week after bipartisan support in previous committees.  The bill would have extended the deadline for fee payment from 30 to 60 days, and had also been broadened to include an amnesty program that would allow fee payers in arrears to make installment payments to make up for unpaid fees. 

A 30-day timeframe for SRA fee payment has been problematic in many rural communities, where physical mail can often be slow, and receipt of SRA bills can arrive with little time remaining to meet the payment deadline.  This is the third year that Assembly Member Obernolte has proposed legislation to bring relief to SRA fee payers in rural communities.