HB1297: HB1297 Pierce County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court of Pierce County to charge and collect a new technology fee, set by the chief magistrate, of up to $10.00 for each civil case filed and up to $10.00 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money can only be used for the court's technology needs, such as buying or leasing computer hardware and software, audio-visual and printing equipment, and equipment to digitize and preserve court records for public access. The fee money must be kept in a separate account by the clerk and spent only on those approved purposes. The authority to charge this fee ends on July 1, 2036, and any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Pierce County technology uses. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Authorizes the Magistrate Court of Pierce County to charge a technology fee of up to $10.00 on each civil case filed with the court.
• Authorizes a separate surcharge of up to $10.00 on each fine the court assesses, also capped at $10.00.
• Limits use of the fee money to specific technology purposes: computer hardware and software, audio-visual and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the collected fees to be kept in a segregated account used only for these approved purposes.
• Sets the fee authority to expire on July 1, 2036, with any leftover money going toward general Pierce County technology uses.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new fee authorization.

People who file civil cases or are fined in the Magistrate Court of Pierce County, the court's clerk and chief magistrate who set and manage the fee, and Pierce County government, which benefits from leftover technology funding after 2036.

Residents and businesses using Pierce County's Magistrate Court for civil filings or facing fines would pay a modest new fee, up to $20 combined in some cases, funding computer systems and records digitization the court would otherwise have to pay for from other sources.

• Section 1(a) lets the clerk charge up to $10.00 per civil filing and up to $10.00 as a surcharge on each fine, with the amount set by the chief magistrate.
• Section 1(a) restricts fee use to four categories: computer hardware and software, leasing/maintenance of that equipment, audio-visual and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires fees to be kept in a segregated account and spent only on the authorized purposes.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2036, with leftover funds dedicated to general Pierce County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 554
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-03Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-24Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-20House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Steven Meeks (R, HD-178)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 20, 2026

   162 yea, 0 nay (9 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #537

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #600

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