SB 345: Magistrate Court of Crawford County; the assessment and collection of a technology fee; authorize

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court of Crawford County to charge a new technology fee. The chief magistrate would set the amount, up to $5.00 for each civil action filed and up to $5.00 added onto each fine the court assesses. The money can only go toward specific technology needs of the court, such as buying or maintaining computers, printers, scanners, and other office equipment, and digitizing court records for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account 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 Magistrate Court of Crawford County to charge up to a $5.00 technology fee on each civil case filed.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $5.00 on each fine the court assesses, also for technology purposes.
• Limits use of the collected fees to specific technology purchases, such as computer hardware, software, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fees to be kept in a segregated account managed by the court clerk, used only for the authorized technology purposes.
• Ends the court's authority to collect the fee on July 1, 2035, with leftover funds dedicated to general Crawford County technology uses.

People who file civil cases in the Magistrate Court of Crawford County and people who are fined by that court would pay the new fee. The court clerk and chief magistrate would administer it, and Crawford County's technology budget would benefit from any leftover funds after 2035.

Georgians who use Crawford County's magistrate court, whether filing a civil claim or paying a court fine, would pay a small added cost, up to $10 combined in some cases. In exchange, the court gains a dedicated funding source for computers, records digitization, and other technology upgrades through 2035.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee structure: up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 surcharge per fine, with the chief magistrate setting the exact amount.
• Section 1(a) restricts fee spending to four categories: computer hardware and software, equipment lease and maintenance, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the fees to be kept in a segregated account used only for the authorized purposes.
• Section 1(c) sets a termination date of July 1, 2035 for the fee, with residual funds redirected to general Crawford County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-30Effective Date
2. 2025-04-30Act 40
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
• magistrate court
• local legislation
• court technology