HB553: HB553 Taylor County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Taylor County to charge and collect a technology fee, set by the probate judge, of no more than $5 for each civil action filed and up to $5 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money can only go toward the court's technology needs, such as buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing imaging and communications equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files for public access. The fees must be kept in a separate account managed by the clerk and used only for these purposes. The authority to collect the fee ends on July 1, 2035, and any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Taylor County technology uses. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Authorizes the Probate Court clerk in Taylor County to charge up to $5.00 for each civil filing to fund court technology.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $5.00 on each fine assessed by the court, also for technology funding.
• Limits use of the fee revenue to specific technology purposes, including computer equipment, imaging and communications equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the collected fees to be kept in a segregated account used only for these authorized purposes.
• Sets July 1, 2035 as the date the fee authority ends, with leftover funds staying dedicated to general Taylor County technology uses.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new fee authority.

People who file civil cases in the Probate Court of Taylor County and people who are fined by that court, since they would pay the new fee or surcharge. It also affects the probate court clerk and judge, who administer the fee and account, and Taylor County government, which benefits from leftover technology funds after 2035.

Residents and businesses filing civil actions or paying fines in Taylor County's Probate Court would pay a small added fee, while the court gains a dedicated funding source for updating computers, imaging equipment, and digitizing old records instead of relying on the county's general budget.

• Section 1(a) sets the maximum fee at $5.00 per civil filing and a separate $5.00 surcharge per fine, with the amount actually charged determined by the probate judge.
• Section 1(a) restricts fee use to four listed categories: computer hardware/software, hardware maintenance and installation, imaging and communications equipment, and digitizing court records for public access.
• Section 1(b) requires the clerk to keep collected fees in a segregated account used only for the authorized purposes.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2035 and dedicates any remaining account funds to general Taylor County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-30Effective Date 2025-04-30
2. 2025-04-30Act 33
3. 2025-04-30House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-10Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-10Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Patty Stinson (D, HD-150)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 27, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #99

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 10, 2025

   43 yea, 1 nay (3 not voting, 9 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #221

• Taylor County
• probate court
• court fees
• local government funding
• court technology