HB1435: HB1435 Mount Airy, Town of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the Municipal Court of the Town of Mount Airy to add a technology fee as a surcharge on top of criminal and quasi-criminal fines that people pay to the court. The judge sets the exact fee amount, but it cannot exceed $10.00 per fine. The money collected can only be spent on specific technology needs: buying, leasing, maintaining, and installing computer hardware and software, and similar equipment for imaging, scanning, faxing, communications, projections, and printing. The funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the town's chief financial officer and the clerk of court, and spent only with the town manager's approval. The town may also use the money to reimburse its information technology department for services it provides to the court. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Authorizes the clerk of the Mount Airy Municipal Court to charge and collect a technology fee as a surcharge on criminal and quasi-criminal fines.
• Caps the fee at $10.00 per fine, with the exact amount set by order of the court's judge.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purchases, leases, maintenance, and installation for the court, such as computers, software, scanners, and printers.
• Requires the collected funds to be kept in a segregated account managed by the town's chief financial officer and the clerk of court, separate from other town funds.
• Allows the funds to be used to reimburse the town's information technology department for services it provides to the court.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new fee authorization.

People who are fined by the Municipal Court of the Town of Mount Airy for criminal or quasi-criminal offenses, the court's clerk and judge, the town's chief financial officer and town manager, and the town's information technology department.

People fined in Mount Airy's municipal court could pay up to $10 more per fine, money set aside specifically to upgrade or maintain the court's computers, printers, and communication equipment rather than going into the town's general funds.

• Section 1(a) authorizes the court clerk to charge and collect a technology fee, capped at $10.00, set by the judge's order.
• Section 1(a) limits fee spending exclusively to hardware, software, and equipment for imaging, scanning, faxing, communications, projections, and printing.
• Section 1(b) requires the funds to be held in a segregated account by the chief financial officer and clerk of court, spent only with the town manager's direction.
• Section 1(b) permits using the funds to reimburse the town's information technology department for services to the court.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 563
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-12Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-04House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Victor Anderson (R, HD-010)Primary sponsor
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2026

   166 yea, 1 nay (9 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #600

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 12, 2026

   43 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #706

• municipal courts
• court fees
• local government funding
• Mount Airy Georgia