(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (e), amounts collected under this article shall be transmitted to the Treasurer and deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the Court Collection Account in the General Fund, which is hereby created. Amounts deposited in the Court Collection Account shall, less an amount that is equal to the costs incurred by the Franchise Tax Board in administering the program authorized by this article, be transferred by the Controller either to the county or to the state fund to which the amount due was originally owing or as otherwise directed by contractual agreement. If the amount collected is not sufficient to satisfy the amounts referred for collection pursuant to Section 19280 that are to be paid by an offender, then the amount paid shall be allocated for distribution on a pro rata basis, as defined in subdivision (d), except in counties where the board of supervisors has established a priority of payment for amounts collected under this article pursuant to Section 1203.1d of the Penal Code. The amount that is equal to the costs incurred by the Franchise Tax Board in administering the program authorized by this article shall be transferred by the Controller to the General Fund for the purpose of recovering the amount expended by the Franchise Tax Board from General Fund appropriations for the purpose of implementing and administering the program authorized by this article, and related statutes as added or amended by the act adding this article.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that costs to the Franchise Tax Board to administer this article for the 1997–98 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter not exceed 15 percent of the amount it collects pursuant to this article.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys deposited in the Court Collection Account pursuant to this section are hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, for purposes of making distributions pursuant to subdivision (a).

(d) For purposes of this section, “pro rata basis” means a distribution determined as follows: the sum of the amounts referred for collection pursuant to Section 19280 to be paid by an offender shall be allocated and distributed in the same proportion that each of the elements has to the sum.

(e) For amounts collected pursuant to a restitution fine or restitution order, subdivision (a) is modified to require the deposit and disbursement of funds collected under this article to be in accordance with the laws relating to reimbursement of the State Restitution Fund.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 604, Sec. 18. Effective October 3, 1997.)