HB32: HB32 Cook County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill gives the Probate Court of Cook County, Georgia authority to add a small technology fee to civil filings. The clerk may charge and collect the fee, with the exact amount set by the probate judge, up to a cap of $5.00 per case filed. The money can only be spent on specific technology needs: buying computer hardware and software, leasing or maintaining computer equipment, and purchasing or maintaining imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment. The funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the clerk and are subject to audit by an auditor approved by Cook County's governing authority. The fee authority ends on July 1, 2030. Any money left over at that point stays dedicated to general Cook County technology uses, though the probate judge can declare a surplus once a year and send it to the county's governing authority.

• Authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Cook County to charge a technology fee of up to $5.00 on each civil action filed with the court.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purchases: computer hardware and software, equipment leasing and maintenance, and imaging, scanning, fax, and printing equipment.
• Requires the fee money to be kept in a separate account subject to audit by an auditor approved by Cook County's governing authority.
• Sets an end date of July 1, 2030 for the county's authority to collect the fee.
• Directs that leftover funds after termination stay dedicated to general Cook County technology uses, unless the probate judge declares a surplus and transfers it to the county's governing authority.

People filing civil cases in the Probate Court of Cook County, who would pay the new fee; the probate court clerk and judge, who set and collect it; and Cook County's governing authority, which approves the auditor and may eventually receive surplus funds.

Anyone filing a civil case in Cook County's probate court would pay a small additional fee, up to $5, that funds court technology like computers and scanners rather than general county revenue. The fee is temporary, ending in 2030 unless renewed, and its use is tightly restricted by law.

• Section 1(a) sets the technology fee cap at $5.00 per civil action filed and limits its use to computer hardware/software, equipment leasing and maintenance, and imaging/printing equipment.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue be kept in a segregated account managed by the clerk, subject to audit approved by Cook County's governing authority.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2030 and dedicates remaining funds to general county technology uses, with an option for the judge to declare an annual surplus for transfer to the county.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-30Effective Date 2025-04-30
2. 2025-04-30Act 29
3. 2025-04-30House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-02-12Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-02-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-05House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)Primary sponsor
• Jaclyn Ford (R, HD-170)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 5, 2025

   160 yea, 1 nay (14 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #15

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 12, 2025

   52 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #45

• court fees
• Cook County
• probate court
• local government funding