SB 344: Probate Court of Crawford County; assessment and collection of a technology fee; authorize

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Crawford County to charge a technology fee, set by the probate judge, of no more than $5 for filing a civil action and no more than $5 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money collected can only be spent on the court's technology needs, such as buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining imaging and printing equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files for public access. The fee money has to be kept in a separate account managed by the clerk and used only for these approved purposes. The bill sets an end date: the authority to collect the fee terminates on July 1, 2035, and whatever money is left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Crawford County technology uses rather than being spent elsewhere.

• Authorizes the Probate Court of Crawford County's clerk to charge a technology fee of up to $5 per civil filing and up to $5 as a surcharge on each court fine.
• Limits use of the fee revenue to specific technology purposes: computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee money to be kept in a segregated account used only for the authorized technology purposes.
• Sets July 1, 2035 as the date the fee authority ends, with any leftover money staying dedicated to Crawford County technology uses.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new fee authorization.

People who file civil actions in the Probate Court of Crawford County, people who are fined by that court, the court's clerk who collects and manages the fee, and Crawford County government, which benefits from the technology upgrades and any leftover funds after 2035.

Georgians who file cases or pay fines in Crawford County's probate court would pay a small added fee, capped at $5 each, that funds computers, printers, scanners, and digitization of court records instead of going into the county's general budget, with the arrangement set to expire in 2035.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee cap at $5 for filing a civil action and $5 as a surcharge on a fine, with the exact amount set by the probate judge.
• Section 1(a) restricts fee spending to four specific technology categories, including hardware, software, imaging equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue be kept 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. 2025-04-30Effective Date
2. 2025-04-30Act 39
3. 2025-04-30Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-04-02House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2025-04-02House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2025-03-31House Second Readers (House)

• John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)Primary sponsor
• Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 4 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #291

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2025

   168 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #377

• court fees
• Crawford County
• probate court
• local government technology