HB 1553: Forest Park, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Forest Park to add a technology fee, capped at $10, as a surcharge on every criminal and quasi-criminal fine paid to the court. The municipal court judge sets the exact amount within that cap. The money collected can only go toward specific technology needs: general equipment like computers, scanners, and printers; evidence management systems; specialized police technology such as body cameras, license plate readers, and drones; and any other technology the city government decides is necessary for public safety or running the court. The funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer, and spending requires the judge's approval after consulting with the court administrator and police chief. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Authorizes the Forest Park Municipal Court clerk to add a technology fee of up to $10 to criminal and quasi-criminal fines.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purposes for the court and city police department, such as hardware, software, and evidence systems.
• Allows the fee money to fund specialized police equipment including body cameras, license plate readers, and drones.
• Requires the collected funds to be kept in a segregated account overseen jointly by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer.
• Requires the municipal court judge's approval, after consulting the court administrator and police chief, before any of the fee money can be spent.
• Permits the funds to reimburse the city's information technology department for services it provides to the court or police.

People who pay criminal or quasi-criminal fines in the Forest Park Municipal Court, the court's clerk and judge, the city's chief financial officer, the Forest Park Police Department, and the city's information technology department.

Anyone fined in Forest Park's municipal court would pay up to $10 more, and that money would fund specific technology upgrades for the court and police, including surveillance tools like license plate readers and drones, rather than going into the city's general budget.

• Section 1(a) caps the technology fee at $10.00 per criminal or quasi-criminal fine and lets the municipal court judge set the exact amount.
• Section 1(a) lists four permitted uses: general technology infrastructure, evidence management systems, specialized police technology, and other technology the city deems necessary for public safety or court operations.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue to be held in a segregated account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer.
• Section 1(b) requires the judge's order, after consulting the court administrator and police chief, before funds can be spent, and allows reimbursing the city's IT department.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 592
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-23House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Rhonda Burnough (D, HD-077)Primary sponsor
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)
• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

   158 yea, 0 nay (12 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #739

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #873

• court fees
• local government
• Forest Park
• police technology
• municipal court