HB 1478: Court Technology Funding Act; enact

Under current law, some Georgia jurisdictions have local Acts creating court technology fees, but there is no uniform statewide framework. This bill creates the 'Court Technology Funding Act,' a new article of law that lets a court's governing authority (county, consolidated government, or municipality) adopt a resolution allowing courts to charge an additional civil filing fee of up to $5 and an additional criminal or traffic fine penalty of up to $5. Money collected goes into a separate technology fund managed by the court clerk and used for computer hardware, software, courthouse security and video systems, networking, and training for court staff. Courts must develop a technology plan describing how the money will be spent, consistent with Judicial Council of Georgia standards, and report their plans and, starting August 1, 2028, annual revenue and spending to the Judicial Council. Starting July 1, 2027, the bill preempts new local laws creating separate court technology fees, though funds already collected under older local Acts can still be used as before. The bill takes effect July 1, 2027, and only applies where local governments have opted in.

• Creates a new legal framework (O.C.G.A. Article 12, Chapter 21, Title 15) letting courts charge up to $5 extra on civil filings and up to $5 extra on criminal or traffic fines to fund court technology.
• Requires a county, consolidated government, or municipal governing authority to pass a resolution opting into the fee system before any court can start collecting the fees.
• Requires each participating court to create a technology plan describing how the fee money will be spent, following Judicial Council of Georgia standards.
• Directs collected fees into a separate technology fund managed by the court clerk, allowing governing authorities to request audits of that fund.
• Blocks any new local laws creating separate court technology fees starting July 1, 2027, while letting funds from older local Acts continue to be used as before.
• Adds a new distribution category to the existing law on partial payment of fines (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-95) so technology fund amounts are included among the amounts clerks must pay out.

People filing civil lawsuits or other civil court cases, defendants who pay criminal or traffic fines, court clerks who must collect and manage the new fund, county and municipal governing authorities that must approve resolutions, and judges, prosecutors, public defenders, probation officers, and law enforcement who use court technology.

If adopted locally, filing a civil case or paying a traffic or criminal fine in that jurisdiction would cost a little more, up to $5 each, with the money earmarked for things like courthouse security cameras, case management software, and video hearing equipment rather than general government use.

• Section 1 adds a new priority category to O.C.G.A. § 15-6-95 so that technology fund amounts under new Code Section 15-21-224 are included when clerks distribute partial payments of fines.
• Section 2 creates new Code Sections 15-21-220 through 15-21-227, naming the law the 'Court Technology Funding Act' and setting up the fee and fund structure.
• Code Section 15-21-222 requires a governing authority resolution before fees can be charged and gives governing authorities 30 days to act before approval is automatically deemed granted.
• Code Section 15-21-223 allows an additional civil filing fee of up to $5 in superior, state, recorder's, mayor's, magistrate, and probate courts, with exceptions for waived or government-paid fees.
• Code Section 15-21-224 allows an additional criminal or ordinance-violation penalty of up to $5 on top of existing fines.
• Code Section 15-21-225 lists allowed uses for the fund, including hardware and software purchases, security and surveillance systems, networking, and staff training.
• Code Section 15-21-226 requires annual reporting to the Judicial Council of Georgia starting August 1, 2028.
• Code Section 15-21-227 preempts new local laws creating separate technology fees starting July 1, 2027, while preserving use of previously collected local funds.

1. 2026-03-04House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-03House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-26House Hopper (House)

• El-Mahdi Holly (D, HD-116)Primary sponsor
• Mary Ann Santos (D, HD-117)
• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)
• Noelle Kahaian (R, HD-081)

• court fees
• court technology
• local government resolutions
• civil filing fees
• criminal fines