HB935: HB935 Thomas County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill is a local law that applies only to Thomas County. It authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Thomas County to charge a technology fee, capped at $10.00, on each civil action filed with the court. The exact amount within that cap is set by the probate judge. The money collected can only be used for the court's technology needs: buying computer hardware and software, leasing or maintaining computer equipment, and purchasing or maintaining imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment. The funds must be kept in a separate account and are subject to audit by an auditor approved by the Thomas County governing authority. The authority to charge this fee ends on July 1, 2031. Any money left over at that point stays dedicated to general Thomas County technology uses, though the probate judge may declare a surplus once a year and transfer it to the county's governing authority.

• Authorizes the Probate Court of Thomas County's clerk to charge a technology fee of up to $10.00 on each civil action filed with the court.
• Restricts use of the fee money to specific technology purchases: computer hardware and software, and imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment.
• Requires the collected fees to be kept in a separate account that can be audited by an auditor approved by Thomas County's governing authority.
• Sets July 1, 2031 as the date the court's authority to collect this fee ends.
• Directs that any leftover money after termination stay dedicated to general Thomas County technology uses, unless declared a surplus and transferred to the county governing authority once a year.

People filing civil cases in the Probate Court of Thomas County, who would pay the new fee, and the Thomas County Probate Court itself, which gains a dedicated funding source for its technology equipment and software.

Residents filing probate court paperwork in Thomas County would pay a small added fee, capped at $10, that funds the court's computers and equipment rather than the county's general budget. The fee is temporary, ending in 2031, after which any leftover money reverts to county technology use.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee cap at $10.00 per civil action filed and limits its use to computer hardware/software and imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue to be held in a segregated account subject to audit by an auditor approved by Thomas County's governing authority.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee-collection authority on July 1, 2031 and dedicates leftover funds to general county technology uses, allowing an annual surplus transfer to the county governing authority.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 524
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-17Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-12House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)Primary sponsor
• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 12, 2026

   156 yea, 0 nay (11 not voting, 8 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #506

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #571

• Thomas County
• probate court fees
• local government funding
• court technology