HB 1452: Mableton, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill gives the Municipal Court of the City of Mableton new authority to add a technology fee, set by the judge but capped at $10, on top of criminal and quasi-criminal fines people pay to the court. The money cannot go into the city's general fund for any purpose; it must be spent only on technology needs for the municipal court and the Mableton Police Department. The bill lists what the fee can pay for: computer hardware and software, imaging and communications equipment like scanners and fax machines, and police technology such as body cameras, dashboard and vehicle-mounted cameras, drones, and the city's 9-1-1 emergency dispatch system. Collected funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer and are subject to audit. The funds can also reimburse the city's information technology department for work it does for the court or police.

• Authorizes the Municipal Court of the City of Mableton to charge a technology fee, set by the judge, of up to $10.00 on each criminal and quasi-criminal fine.
• Restricts use of the collected fee money exclusively to technology needs of the municipal court and the city's police department.
• Lists specific allowed uses, including computer hardware and software, imaging and communications equipment, body and vehicle cameras, drones, and 9-1-1 dispatch operations.
• Requires the fee revenue to be kept in a separate account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer, subject to outside audit.
• Allows the funds to reimburse the city's information technology department for services it provides to the court or police department.

People convicted or fined in the Municipal Court of the City of Mableton for criminal or quasi-criminal offenses, the court's clerk and staff, the city's chief financial officer, the Mableton Police Department, and the city's information technology department.

Defendants paying fines in Mableton's municipal court would pay up to $10 more per fine, while the city gains a dedicated funding stream for court and police technology, including body cameras, drones, and 9-1-1 systems, without drawing on general city funds.

• Section 1(a) sets the technology fee cap at $10.00 per criminal or quasi-criminal fine, with the exact amount set by the municipal court judge.
• Section 1(a) limits fee use to technology needs of the municipal court and police department, listing computer, imaging, and communications equipment as allowed purchases.
• Section 1(a)(3) specifically allows funding for police body-worn and vehicle cameras, drones, and the 9-1-1 emergency answering system.
• Section 1(b) requires funds to be held in a segregated account overseen by the court clerk and chief financial officer and subject to audit.
• Section 1(b) permits using the funds to reimburse the city's information technology department for services to the court or police.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 665
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-12Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-10House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Terry Cummings (D, HD-039)Primary sponsor
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-042)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 10, 2026

   159 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 12 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #693

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• municipal courts
• court fees
• police technology
• Mableton
• local government funding