HB 778: Upson County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to Upson County. It authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court there to charge and collect a technology fee, set by the chief magistrate, of up to $5.00 for each civil action filed and up to $5.00 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money collected can only be used for specific technology purposes: buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing that equipment, purchasing or leasing 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 and used only for these purposes. The authority to charge the fee ends on July 1, 2035, and any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Upson County technology uses.

• Authorizes the Magistrate Court of Upson County's clerk to charge up to $5.00 per civil filing as a technology fee.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $5.00 on each fine assessed by the court, also for technology purposes.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to computer hardware and software, related equipment maintenance, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee revenue to be kept in a segregated account managed by the court clerk.
• Sets an end date of July 1, 2035 for the fee, with leftover funds staying dedicated to Upson County technology uses.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new fee authorization.

People filing civil actions in the Magistrate Court of Upson County, people who are fined by that court, the court clerk who collects and manages the fee, and Upson County's local government, which benefits from any leftover technology funding after 2035.

Georgians who file civil cases or are fined in Upson County's Magistrate Court would pay a small added fee, up to $10 combined, specifically earmarked to modernize the court's technology and digitize records, rather than going toward general county revenue.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee amounts (up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 per fine surcharge) and lists the only allowed uses: hardware/software purchases, equipment leasing and maintenance, imaging and communications equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the collected funds to be held in a segregated account by the court clerk and spent only on the authorized purposes.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2035 and dedicates any remaining balance to general Upson County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-30Effective Date
2. 2025-04-30Act 36
3. 2025-04-30House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-08House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   164 yea, 0 nay (12 not voting, 4 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #317

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   55 yea, 1 nay

   SUPPLEMENTAL LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #400

• court fees
• Upson County
• local legislation
• magistrate court
• court technology