House Bill 1569 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Santos of the 117th and Kahaian of the 81st
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To authorize the assessment and collection of a technology fee by the Municipal Court of the
City of McDonough; to identify the authorized uses of such technology fee; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
(a) The clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of McDonough is hereby authorized to
charge and collect a technology fee to be set by the judge of the municipal court in an amount
not to exceed $15.00 as a surcharge to each criminal and quasi-criminal fine paid to the court.
Such technology fees shall be used exclusively to provide for technological needs of the
Municipal Court of the City of McDonough and the city's public safety services. Such uses
shall include only the following:
(1) Purchasing, leasing, upgrading, maintaining, and installing of general technology
infrastructure, including computer hardware, software, and equipment used for imaging,
scanning, facsimile transmission, communication, printing, and projections;
(2) Purchasing, leasing, maintaining, upgrading, and subscribing to software-as-a-service
(SaaS) platforms and evidence management systems;
(3) Purchasing, leasing, upgrading, maintaining, and installing equipment for imaging,
scanning, facsimile, communication, and projections;
(4) Purchasing, leasing, upgrading, maintaining, and operating body-worn, mobile, fixed,
or vehicle mounted cameras, automated license plate reader systems, drones, and other
emerging public safety technology;
(5) Any additional technology necessary to improve public safety and court efficiency,
service delivery, and effectiveness; and
(6) Any other technology related equipment, system, or service the city deems necessary
for enhancing public safety or court operations.
(b) All funds collected pursuant to this Act shall be maintained in a segregated account by
the chief financial officer or director of finance of the city and the clerk of the municipal
court, separate from other funds of the city. Funds shall be expended only for the purposes
authorized in this section, upon direction of the mayor or city administrator. The funds may
also be used to reimburse the city's information technology department for services provided
to the court or public safety operations.
(c) The technology fee shall be in addition to any other fines or fees authorized by law and
shall be assessed only upon conviction, a nolo plea, or final disposition of the case. No fee
shall be assessed for cases that are dismissed or nolle prossed.
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.