HB 781: Crawford County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court of Crawford County 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 can only be spent on the court's technology needs, such as computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account controlled by the clerk and used only for these purposes. The bill sets an end date: the court's authority to collect the fee stops on July 1, 2035. Any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Crawford County technology uses rather than being refunded or spent elsewhere.

• Authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court of Crawford County to charge a technology fee of up to $5.00 on each civil case filed with the court.
• Authorizes a separate surcharge of up to $5.00 on each fine the court assesses, also going toward the technology fee.
• Restricts use of the collected fees to specific technology purposes: hardware, software, imaging and communications equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fees to be kept in a segregated account managed by the clerk, separate from other court funds.
• Sets a termination date of July 1, 2035 for the court's authority to collect the fee, after which leftover funds stay dedicated to county technology uses.

People who file civil cases in the Magistrate Court of Crawford County and people who are assessed fines by that court, since both groups would pay the new fee. The court clerk and chief magistrate, who set and administer the fee, are also directly affected.

Anyone filing a civil case or paying a fine in Crawford County's Magistrate Court would pay up to an extra $10 total, money earmarked for upgrading the court's computers, printing, scanning, and records systems. The fee is not permanent, since collection authority ends in 2035.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee structure: up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 as a surcharge per fine, with the exact amount set by the chief magistrate.
• Section 1(a) limits fee spending to four categories: computer hardware/software, hardware leasing and maintenance, imaging/scanning/printing equipment, and digitizing court records for public access.
• Section 1(b) requires the clerk to keep collected fees in a segregated account used only for the authorized purposes.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2035 and dedicates any remaining balance to general Crawford County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date
2. 2025-05-13Act 224
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-31Senate 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 voteMarch 31, 2025

   49 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 2 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #339

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