HB 1569: McDonough, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to the Municipal Court of the City of McDonough. It authorizes the court clerk to charge a technology fee, set by the municipal court judge, of up to $15.00 on every criminal and quasi-criminal fine paid to the court. The fee is a surcharge on top of any other fines or fees already required by law. The money collected must be kept in a separate account managed by the city's chief financial officer or finance director along with the court clerk, and spent only on court and public safety technology such as computer hardware and software, evidence management systems, body cameras, license plate readers, drones, and similar equipment. Funds can also reimburse the city's IT department for services to the court or public safety. The fee only applies when a case ends in conviction, a no-contest plea, or final disposition; it cannot be charged if a case is dismissed or dropped (nolle prossed).

• Authorizes the Municipal Court of the City of McDonough to charge a technology fee of up to $15.00 as a surcharge on criminal and quasi-criminal fines.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purposes, including computer equipment, software subscriptions, body and vehicle cameras, license plate readers, and drones.
• Requires the collected funds to be kept in a segregated city account separate from other city funds, managed by the finance director and court clerk.
• Allows the funds to reimburse the city's information technology department for services provided to the court or public safety operations.
• Bars the fee from being charged in cases that are dismissed or nolle prossed, limiting it to convictions, no-contest pleas, or final case dispositions.

People convicted of criminal or quasi-criminal offenses in the Municipal Court of the City of McDonough, who would pay the added fee on top of their fine. It also affects the McDonough municipal court clerk, city finance officials, and the city's information technology and public safety departments.

Anyone fined in McDonough's municipal court would pay up to $15 more, funding technology like body cameras and license plate readers for local courts and police. The measure applies only within this one city and does not change fees or procedures anywhere else in Georgia.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee ceiling at $15.00 per fine and lists six categories of technology purchases the money can fund, from general IT equipment to drones and license plate readers.
• Section 1(b) requires the funds to be held in a segregated account controlled by the city's finance officer and court clerk, spent only with direction from the mayor or city administrator.
• Section 1(c) limits when the fee can be assessed, excluding dismissed or nolle prossed cases and making clear it is an addition to existing fines.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date
2. 2026-05-11Act 601
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Mary Ann Santos (D, HD-117)Primary sponsor
• Noelle Kahaian (R, HD-81)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2026

   153 yea, 0 nay (20 not voting, 3 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #772

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #927

• municipal court fees
• McDonough Georgia
• local government funding
• court technology
• public safety technology