HB 538: Schley County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of technology fee

This bill is a local law that applies only to Schley County. It authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Schley County to charge and collect a technology fee, set by the probate judge, of not more than $5.00 for each civil action filed with the court and not more than $5.00 as a surcharge added to each fine the court assesses. The money can only be used for specific technology needs: buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment, and converting court records to digital form for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account subject to audit by a county-approved auditor. The fee authority ends on July 1, 2035, and any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Schley County technology uses.

• Authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Schley County to charge up to $5.00 for each civil action filed with the court.
• Authorizes a surcharge of up to $5.00 on each fine assessed by the Probate Court of Schley County.
• Restricts use of the collected fees to specific technology purposes such as computer equipment, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee revenue to be kept in a segregated account subject to audit by a county-approved auditor.
• Sets a termination date of July 1, 2035 for the fee, with leftover funds staying dedicated to Schley County technology uses.

This bill affects people who file civil actions in or are fined by the Probate Court of Schley County, the clerk and judge of that court who administer the fee, and Schley County's government, which approves the auditor reviewing the fee account.

People filing civil cases or paying fines in Schley County's Probate Court would pay a small additional fee, up to $10 combined in some cases, that funds computer equipment and digital record conversion for the court, rather than coming from the county's general budget.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee structure: up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 as a surcharge on fines, with the amount set by the probate judge.
• Section 1(a) limits fee use to four categories: computer hardware and software, hardware maintenance and installation, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the funds to be kept in a segregated account subject to audit by an auditor approved by Schley County's governing authority.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2035 and dedicates any remaining funds to general Schley County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-30Effective Date
2. 2025-04-30Act 32
3. 2025-04-30House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-10Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-10Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 27, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 6 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #99

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 10, 2025

   43 yea, 1 nay (3 not voting, 9 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #221

• Schley County
• probate court fees
• court technology funding
• local government finance