(a) Whenever the Director of the Division of Juvenile Justice has in his or her possession in trust funds of a ward committed to the division, the funds may be released for any purpose when authorized by the ward. When the sum held in trust for any ward by the director exceeds five hundred dollars ($500), the amount in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) may be expended by the director pursuant to a lawful order of a court directing payment of the funds, without the authorization of the ward thereto.

(b) Whenever an adult or minor is committed to or housed in a Division of Juvenile Facilities facility and he or she owes a restitution fine imposed pursuant to § 13967 of the Government Code, as operative on or before September 28, 1994, or Section 1202.4 or 1203.04 of the Penal Code, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, or pursuant to Section 729.6, 730.6 or 731.1, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, the director shall deduct the balance owing on the fine amount from the trust account deposits of a ward, up to a maximum of 50 percent of the total amount held in trust, unless prohibited by federal law. The director shall transfer that amount to the California Victim Compensation Board for deposit in the Restitution Fund in the State Treasury. Any amount so deducted shall be credited against the amount owing on the fine. The sentencing court shall be provided a record of the payments.

(c) Whenever an adult or minor is committed to, or housed in, a Division of Juvenile Facilities facility and he or she owes restitution to a victim imposed pursuant to § 13967 of the Government Code, as operative on or before September 28, 1994, or Section 1202.4 or 1203.04 of the Penal Code, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, or pursuant to Section 729.6, 730.6, or 731.1, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, the director shall deduct the balance owing on the order amount from the trust account deposits of a ward, up to a maximum of 50 percent of the total amount held in trust, unless prohibited by federal law. The director shall transfer that amount directly to the victim. If the restitution is owed to a person who has filed an application with the Victims of Crime Program, the director shall transfer that amount to the California Victim Compensation Board for direct payment to the victim or payment shall be made to the Restitution Fund to the extent that the victim has received assistance pursuant to that program. The sentencing court shall be provided a record of the payments made to victims and of the payments deposited to the Restitution Fund pursuant to this subdivision.

(d) Any compensatory or punitive damages awarded by trial or settlement to a minor or adult committed to the Division of Juvenile Facilities in connection with a civil action brought against any federal, state, or local jail or correctional facility, or any official or agent thereof, shall be paid directly, after payment of reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation costs approved by the court, to satisfy any outstanding restitution orders or restitution fines against the minor or adult. The balance of any award shall be forwarded to the minor or adult committed to the Division of Juvenile Facilities after full payment of all outstanding restitution orders and restitution fines subject to subdivision (e). The Division of Juvenile Facilities shall make all reasonable efforts to notify the victims of the crime for which the minor or adult was committed concerning the pending payment of any compensatory or punitive damages. This subdivision shall apply to cases settled or awarded on or after April 26, 1996, pursuant to Sections 807 and 808 of Title VIII of the federal Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-134; 18 U.S.C. § 3626 (Historical and Statutory Notes)).

(e) The director shall deduct and retain from the trust account deposits of a ward, unless prohibited by federal law, an administrative fee that totals 10 percent of any amount transferred pursuant to subdivision (b) and (c), or 5 percent of any amount transferred pursuant to subdivision (d). The director shall deposit the administrative fee moneys in a special deposit account for reimbursing administrative and support costs of the restitution and victims program of the Division of Juvenile Facilities. The director, at his or her discretion, may retain any excess funds in the special deposit account for future reimbursement of the division’s administrative and support costs for the restitution and victims program or may transfer all or part of the excess funds for deposit in the Restitution Fund.

(f) When a ward has both a restitution fine and a restitution order from the sentencing court, the Division of Juvenile Facilities shall collect the restitution order first pursuant to subdivision (c).

(g) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), whenever the director holds in trust a ward’s funds in excess of five dollars ($5) and the ward cannot be located, after one year from the date of discharge, absconding from the Division of Juvenile Facilities supervision, or escape, the Division of Juvenile Facilities shall apply the trust account balance to any unsatisfied victim restitution order or fine owed by that ward. If the victim restitution order or fine has been satisfied, the remainder of the ward’s trust account balance, if any, shall be transferred to the Benefit Fund to be expended pursuant to Section 1752.5. If the victim to whom a particular ward owes restitution cannot be located, the moneys shall be transferred to the Benefit Fund to be expended pursuant to Section 1752.5.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 31, Sec. 279. (SB 836) Effective June 27, 2016.)