HB624: HB624 Carroll County; State Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the State Court of Carroll County to charge a new technology fee, set by the state court judge, of up to $15.00 for filing each civil action and up to $15.00 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money collected can only be spent on specific technology needs of the court, such as computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the court clerk and are subject to audit by an auditor approved by Carroll County's governing authority. The law authorizing this fee expires on July 1, 2035. Any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Carroll County technology purposes rather than being refunded or moved elsewhere.

• Authorizes the clerk of the State Court of Carroll County to charge a technology fee of up to $15.00 on each civil case filing.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $15.00 on each fine assessed by the State Court of Carroll County.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purposes like computer equipment, printing and scanning tools, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee money to be kept in a segregated account subject to audit by a county-approved auditor.
• Sets the fee authority to expire on July 1, 2035, with leftover funds staying dedicated to Carroll County technology uses.

People who file civil lawsuits in the State Court of Carroll County and people who pay fines assessed by that court will pay the new fee. The court clerk, the state court judge, and Carroll County's governing authority also have new duties related to setting, collecting, and auditing the fee.

Anyone filing a civil case or paying a fine in Carroll County's state court could pay up to $30 more between the two fees, money that would fund computers, printers, scanners, and digitizing old court records instead of going toward general county costs.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee amounts, capping the filing fee and the fine surcharge at $15.00 each, with the exact amount set by the state court judge.
• Section 1(a) lists the only allowed uses: computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and converting court records to digital format.
• Section 1(b) requires the fees to be held in a segregated account and audited by an auditor approved by Carroll County's governing authority.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2035, with any remaining funds staying dedicated to general Carroll County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 157
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-21Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-21Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-11Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-10House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)Primary sponsor
• David Huddleston (R, HD-072)
• Jutt Howard (R, HD-071)
• Lynn Smith (R, HD-070)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 10, 2025

   165 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 7 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #270

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 21, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #265

• Carroll County
• court fees
• local government funding
• technology funding
• civil court filings