HB 1511: Court Technology Funding Act; enact

Georgia courts currently have no statewide system for funding computer systems, security cameras, video hearing equipment, and other technology through dedicated fees. This bill creates the 'Court Technology Funding Act,' letting a court's chief judge develop a technology plan and, if the county, consolidated government, or municipality that governs the court adopts a resolution agreeing to it, collect an additional civil filing fee of up to $5 and an additional criminal or traffic penalty of up to $5. The money would go into a separate technology fund managed by the court clerk and could be spent on hardware, software, networking, courthouse security and display systems, training, and related contracts. Starting August 1, 2028, courts using the fees must report annual details to the Judicial Council of Georgia. Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill blocks any new local laws creating separate court technology fees, though funds already collected under older local laws can still be used. The Act would take effect July 1, 2027, and only apply where local governing authorities have opted in.

• Creates a new statewide legal framework (a new Article 12 of Title 15) allowing courts to charge added civil filing fees and criminal or traffic penalties, each capped at $5, to fund court technology.
• Requires the county, consolidated government, or municipality that governs a court to pass a resolution opting into the fee system before it can be collected.
• Sets up a separate technology fund managed by each participating court's clerk, subject to audit requests by the governing authority.
• Lists allowed uses of the fund, including computer and network equipment, courthouse security and display systems, and training on court technology.
• Bans new local laws creating separate court technology fees starting July 1, 2027, while letting money already collected under older local laws keep being used.
• Adds the new technology fund payment to the list of priorities a superior court clerk must follow when distributing partial payments of fines and fees (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-95).

Superior, state, probate, magistrate, and municipal courts and their clerks; county and municipal governing authorities that must vote to opt in; people filing civil cases or paying criminal and traffic fines; judges, prosecutors, public defenders, probation officers, and law enforcement who use court technology; and the Judicial Council of Georgia, which receives reports.

If local governments choose to opt in, Georgians filing civil cases or paying criminal or traffic fines in those courts would pay a small additional fee, up to $5 each, that would go toward funding courthouse technology like security systems, video equipment, and case management software rather than general county budgets.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 15-6-95 to add the new court technology fund to the priority list for distributing partial payments of fines and fees.
• Section 2 creates new Code Section 15-21-222, requiring a governing authority resolution before any fees under this article can be collected, with approval assumed if no action is taken within 30 days.
• New Code Section 15-21-223 sets a civil filing fee of up to $5 in participating superior, state, probate, magistrate, recorder's, and mayor's courts.
• New Code Section 15-21-224 sets an additional penalty of up to $5 on criminal and traffic fines and ordinance violation penalties in participating courts.
• New Code Section 15-21-225 lists permitted uses of the technology fund, including hardware, software, security systems, and training.
• New Code Section 15-21-226 requires annual reporting to the Judicial Council of Georgia beginning August 1, 2028.
• New Code Section 15-21-227 preempts new local court technology fee laws starting July 1, 2027, while preserving use of funds under prior local Acts.
• Section 3 sets the Act's effective date as July 1, 2027, applying only where local governing authorities have adopted the provisions.

1. 2026-03-09House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-04House Hopper (House)

• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)Primary sponsor
• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
• Robert Flournoy (D, HD-074)

• court fees
• court technology funding
• civil filing fees
• criminal penalties
• local government resolutions