HB 1504: Dekalb County; State Court; authorize the charge and collection of technology fees

This bill amends the 1951 Act that created the State Court of DeKalb County. It allows the clerk of the state court and the clerk of the magistrate court to each charge a technology fee, up to $50, on every civil case filed, with the exact amount set by the judges or the chief magistrate. That money must be kept in a separate account and spent only on things like computer equipment, software, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records. The bill also sets rules for a court administrator who oversees budget, staffing, technology, and other operations for both the state court and magistrate court, describing how that person is appointed, removed, and replaced. Finally, it revises how judges, magistrates, the court administrator, the clerk, the marshal, and the chief probation officer of DeKalb County's courts are paid, tying some salaries to a percentage of another official's pay and guaranteeing employee benefits like health insurance and retirement.

• Authorizes DeKalb County's state court and magistrate court clerks to each charge up to a $50 technology fee on every civil case filed.
• Requires technology fee money to be kept in a separate account and spent only on computer equipment, software, imaging or printing equipment, and digital record archiving.
• Creates a formal process for appointing and removing a shared court administrator for the State Court and Magistrate Court of DeKalb County, requiring at least eight state court judges plus the chief magistrate to agree.
• Gives the court administrator authority over budget, hiring, payroll, facilities, information technology, and other operations of both courts.
• Sets pay formulas tying the court administrator's and clerk's salaries to a percentage of other officials' pay, and guarantees county employee benefits like health and retirement insurance for several court officials.

People and businesses filing civil lawsuits in DeKalb County's state court or magistrate court, who would pay the new technology fee. It also affects the judges, chief magistrate, court administrator, clerk, marshal, and chief probation officer of those courts, whose pay and administrative roles are defined by the bill.

Civil litigants in DeKalb County could face a new fee of up to $50 per filing, with the money earmarked for court technology upgrades like digital record-keeping. The bill also clarifies who controls day-to-day court administration and locks in pay structures for several DeKalb County court officials.

• Section 1 (new Section 11B.3) authorizes the state court clerk and magistrate court clerk to each charge a technology fee up to $50 per civil filing, set by the judges or chief magistrate.
• Section 1 restricts fee revenue to a segregated account used only for computer hardware, software, imaging or printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 2 (new Section 20.1) requires the court administrator to be appointed and removable only by a vote of at least eight state court judges plus the chief magistrate, and sets a nomination process for filling vacancies.
• Section 2 lets the state court or magistrate court appoint separate administrators, removing the chief magistrate from the joint appointment process if that happens.
• Section 3 revises Section 21.2 to set the court administrator's salary at 90 percent of the Superior Court's court administrator salary, and the state court clerk's salary at 90 percent of the state court administrator's salary.
• Section 3 guarantees judges, magistrates, and other named officials county employee benefits including health, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, and longevity pay.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 666
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2026-03-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)Primary sponsor
• Long Tran (D, HD-080)
• Karla Drenner (D, HD-085)
• Karen Lupton (D, HD-083)
• Billy Mitchell (D, HD-088)
• Shea Roberts (D, HD-052)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   161 yea, 2 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #712

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

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

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• DeKalb County courts
• court fees
• local legislation
• court administration
• state court funding