§ 14-28. Authority to levy penalty assessment.

(a)

Each court which sits within the county is authorized to impose upon any defendant who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is convicted of, a violation of any provision of F.S. ch. 893, punishable as a criminal offense, in addition to any fine and other penalty as provided by law, an amount up to the amount of the fine authorized for the violation. Such additional amounts are referred to hereinafter as "penalty assessment" and shall be received by the clerk of the circuit court and periodically paid over to the county comptroller for the purposes and in the manner as provided for hereinafter.

(b)

The court is authorized to order a defendant to pay such penalty assessment if it finds the defendant has the ability to pay the fine and the additional penalty assessment and will not be prevented thereby from being rehabilitated or from making restitution.

(Code 1965, § 22-103; Ord. No. 89-5, § 3, 4-3-89)