HB1083: HB1083 Madison County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to Madison 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 $10.00 for filing each civil action and up to $10.00 as a surcharge on each fine the court imposes. The money can only go toward technology needs of the Magistrate Court: buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment, and converting court records to digital form. Funds must be kept in a separate account. The authority to charge the fee ends on July 1, 2031, and any money left over stays dedicated to general Madison County technology uses. The bill only takes effect on July 1, 2026 if a related statewide bill about magistrate court fees also becomes law; otherwise it is automatically repealed on that date.

• Authorizes the Madison County Magistrate Court clerk to charge up to $10.00 as a technology fee on each civil case filed with the court.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $10.00 on each fine assessed by the court, also usable only for technology purposes.
• Limits use of the collected fees to specific technology purchases, such as computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fees to be kept in a segregated account used only for the authorized technology purposes.
• Ends the county's authority to collect the fee on July 1, 2031, with leftover money staying dedicated to Madison County technology uses.
• Makes the whole bill contingent on a separate statewide magistrate court fee bill passing; if that bill fails, this one is automatically repealed on July 1, 2026.

People who file civil cases in the Madison County Magistrate Court and people who are fined by that court would pay the new fee or surcharge. The Madison County Magistrate Court and its clerk would administer and benefit from the funds.

Anyone filing a small claims or other civil case in Madison County's Magistrate Court, or paying a court fine there, could face an extra cost of up to $20 total, while the court gains a dedicated funding source for computers, digital record-keeping, and related equipment.

• Section 1(a) sets the maximum fee at $10.00 per civil filing and a separate surcharge of up to $10.00 per fine, both set by the chief magistrate.
• Section 1(a) restricts fee use to four listed categories: computer hardware and software, equipment maintenance and installation, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the funds to be kept in a segregated account used only for the authorized purposes.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2031, with leftover funds dedicated to general Madison County technology uses.
• Section 2 makes the Act's effectiveness contingent on passage of a separate statewide bill amending magistrate court fee law (O.C.G.A. Title 15, Chapter 10, Article 5); otherwise the Act is repealed automatically on July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 537
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-26Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-26Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-17House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 17, 2026

   163 yea, 1 nay (7 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #513

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 26, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #589

• Madison County
• magistrate court fees
• court technology
• local legislation
• civil case filing fees