HB1452: HB1452 Mableton, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill authorizes the clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Mableton to add a technology fee, capped at $10, as a surcharge on every criminal and quasi-criminal fine paid to that court. The judge sets the exact fee amount within that limit. The money raised can only be used for specific technology needs of the municipal court and the city's police department, such as computer hardware and software, imaging and communications equipment, and police equipment including body and vehicle cameras, drones, and the 9-1-1 dispatch system. The funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer, and are subject to audit by an auditor the city approves. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Authorizes the Municipal Court of the City of Mableton's clerk to charge a technology fee of up to $10.00 on each criminal and quasi-criminal fine paid to the court.
• Lets the municipal court judge set the exact fee amount, as long as it does not exceed the $10.00 cap.
• Restricts use of the collected fees to technology needs of the municipal court and the city's police department, including computers, imaging and communication equipment, body and vehicle cameras, drones, and 9-1-1 dispatch systems.
• Requires the fee money to be kept in a segregated account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer, subject to outside audit.
• Allows the funds to be used to reimburse the city's information technology department for services it provides to the court or police department.
• Repeals any existing state or local laws that conflict with this new fee authorization.

People who pay criminal or quasi-criminal fines in the Municipal Court of the City of Mableton, the court's clerk and judge, the city's chief financial officer, the city's police department, and the city's information technology department all have roles or obligations under this bill.

Anyone fined in Mableton's municipal court would pay up to $10 more per fine, funding technology upgrades for the court and police, including cameras, drones, and 9-1-1 systems, rather than relying on the city's general budget for those purchases.

• Section 1(a) authorizes the fee, caps it at $10.00 per fine, and lets the municipal court judge set the exact amount within that cap.
• Section 1(a) limits fee spending to three categories: computer hardware and software, imaging and communication equipment, and police department technology such as cameras, drones, and 9-1-1 dispatch operations.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue to be held in a segregated account overseen by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer, subject to an approved outside audit.
• Section 1(b) permits using the funds to reimburse the city's IT department for services performed for the court or police department.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 665
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-12Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-10House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Terry Cummings (D, HD-039)Primary sponsor
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-042)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 10, 2026

   159 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 12 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #693

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• municipal court fees
• Mableton
• court technology
• local government funding
• police technology