Article 1. General of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 3. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.

Charges incurred against the county pursuant to this title are county charges.

The following expenses of the district attorney and the sheriff are county charges:
  (a) Traveling and other personal expenses incurred in criminal cases arising in the county and in civil actions and proceedings in which the county is interested.
  (b) All other expenses necessarily incurred by either of them:
  (1) In the detection of crime. Except as to violations of Section 23152 of the Vehicle Code, this section does not apply to the detection of those crimes declared to be misdemeanors by the Vehicle Code.
  (2) In the prosecution of criminal cases, and in civil actions and proceedings and all other matters in which the county is interested, or in which any officer or employee, or former officer or employee, of the county is a defendant in an action for damages instituted for any act performed by him or her in good faith in furtherance of his or her duty while in the employ of the county and in which the district attorney is authorized to represent him or her.

Expenses incurred by a county in returning a fugitive or escaped prisoner to another county for trial or detention in a county facility shall be paid by the county of trial or detention to the county which incurred the expenses of returning the fugitive.

The expenses necessarily incurred in the support of persons charged with or convicted of a crime and committed to the county jail and the maintenance therein and in other county adult detention facilities of a program of rehabilitative services in the fields of training, employment, recreation, and prerelease activities, and for other services in relation to criminal proceedings for which no specific compensation is prescribed by law are county charges. However, nothing in this section shall preclude or prohibit the county from receiving reimbursement from a provider of medical insurance coverage for the provision of medical services to a prisoner or detainee received by or held in the county jail or other detention facilities, in those instances where the prisoner or detainee has private medical insurance coverage.

The sums required by law to be paid to grand jurors and witnesses in criminal cases tried in a superior court, other than expert witnesses appointed by the court for the court's needs pursuant to Section 730 of the Evidence Code, are county charges.

The accounts of the coroner for such services as are not otherwise provided for are county charges.

The necessary expenses incurred in the support of the county hospitals, almshouses, and the indigent sick and otherwise dependent poor, whose support is chargeable to the county, are county charges.

When authorized by the board of supervisors, expenses incurred by county authorities pursuant to Section 1451.5 of the Health and Safety Code or for temporary, emergency, or extended care or treatment of indigent patients of the county by local hospitals or any hospital maintained and operated by any county, the State, any state college, university, or other institution supported in whole or in part by taxation or exempted in whole or in part from taxation are county charges.

The contingent expenses necessarily incurred for the use and benefit of the county are county charges.

The premiums on official bonds of county officers are county charges.

The expenses of any elected county officer incurred while traveling to and from and while attending the annual convention of his or her respective association, are county charges which do not require prior approval of the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors may require prior approval by the board of supervisors for any other officer or employee to incur those expenses as county charges.

The necessary expenses, incurred by the auditor and treasurer in the defense and prosecution of any action brought by or against them to test the validity or constitutionality of any act of the Legislature or of the board of supervisors or of any order providing for the payment of any funds held in the county treasury are county charges.

The expenses necessarily incurred in searching for and rescuing persons who are lost or in danger of their lives are county charges.

The expenses necessarily incurred in the preparation of plans for meeting any emergency caused by a flood, fire, earthquake, pestilence, tornado, or other act of God which may cause extraordinary loss of life or destruction of property are county charges.

Every sum directed by law to be raised for any county purpose under the direction of the board of supervisors or declared to be such is a county charge.

The actual and necessary expenses incurred in the drafting of a county charter by a board of freeholders, when such expenses are authorized by the board of supervisors, are county charges.