HB778: HB778 Upson County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court of Upson County to charge a technology fee, set by the chief magistrate, of up to $5 for filing each civil action and up to $5 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money collected can only be used for specific technology needs of the court, such as buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining imaging and printing equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account and spent only on these approved purposes. The authority to collect the fee ends on July 1, 2035. Any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general technology uses for Upson County rather than being refunded or spent elsewhere.

• Authorizes the Magistrate Court of Upson County's clerk to charge a technology fee of up to $5.00 on each civil case filing.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $5.00 on each fine assessed by the court, also capped at $5.00.
• Restricts use of the fee money to specific technology purposes: computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the collected fees to be kept in a segregated account managed by the court clerk.
• Sets July 1, 2035 as the date the fee authority ends, with leftover funds staying dedicated to Upson County technology uses.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with these new provisions.

People filing civil lawsuits in the Magistrate Court of Upson County, individuals who are fined by that court, the court's clerk and chief magistrate who administer the fee, and Upson County's local government, which benefits from the technology funding.

Anyone filing a civil case or paying a fine in Upson County's Magistrate Court would pay a small additional fee, up to $10 combined, that funds court technology like digital record-keeping and equipment rather than going to the county's general budget, with the arrangement expiring in a decade.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee amounts: up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 as a surcharge on each fine, with the exact amount set by the chief magistrate.
• Section 1(a) lists the only allowed uses: computer hardware and software purchases, hardware lease and maintenance, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records for public access.
• Section 1(b) requires the fees to be kept 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 funds to general Upson County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-30Effective Date 2025-04-30
2. 2025-04-30Act 36
3. 2025-04-30House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-08House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   164 yea, 0 nay (12 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #317

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   55 yea, 1 nay

   Supplemental Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #400

• Upson County
• magistrate court fees
• court technology
• local legislation