HB 1083: Madison County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to the Magistrate Court of Madison County, Georgia. It lets the clerk of that court charge and collect a technology fee, set by the chief magistrate, of no more than $10 for filing a civil case and no more than $10 as a surcharge added to any fine the court assesses. The money can only be used for specific technology needs: buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment, and converting court records to digital form for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account. The fee authority ends on July 1, 2031, with any leftover money going to general Madison County technology uses. The bill only takes effect July 1, 2026 if a separate statewide bill on magistrate court fees is also enacted; otherwise it is automatically repealed on that date.

• Authorizes the Madison County Magistrate Court clerk to charge up to $10 per civil filing and up to $10 as a surcharge on fines, set by the chief magistrate.
• Restricts use of the collected fees to specific technology purchases, leases, maintenance, and digitizing court records for public access.
• Requires the fees to be kept in a segregated account used only for these authorized purposes.
• Ends the fee authority on July 1, 2031 and directs any leftover funds to general Madison County technology uses.
• Makes the whole Act contingent on a separate statewide magistrate court fee bill being enacted, and automatically repeals it on July 1, 2026 if that does not happen.

People who file civil actions in the Madison County Magistrate Court, people fined by that court, the court's clerk and chief magistrate, and Madison County government, which would receive any leftover technology funds after 2031.

Residents and businesses using the Madison County Magistrate Court for civil cases or facing fines could pay up to $20 more in combined fees, money earmarked to modernize the court's computers, scanning, and digital record systems rather than going toward the county's general budget.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee caps at $10 for civil filings and $10 as a fine surcharge, with amounts set by the chief magistrate.
• Section 1(a) lists the only allowed uses: computer hardware/software, imaging and communications equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the fees to be kept in a segregated account used only for these purposes.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2031, with leftover funds dedicated to general Madison County technology needs.
• Section 2 makes the Act's effective date of July 1, 2026 contingent on passage of a related statewide magistrate court fee law, and provides automatic repeal if that law is not enacted.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 537
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-26Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-26Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-17House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 17, 2026

   163 yea, 1 nay (7 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #513

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 26, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #589

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