HB1504: HB1504 Dekalb County; State Court; authorize the charge and collection of technology fees

This bill amends the 1951 Act that created the State Court of DeKalb County, formerly known as the Civil and Criminal Court of DeKalb County. It authorizes the clerks of both the State Court and the Magistrate Court of DeKalb County to charge a technology fee of up to $50 on each civil case filed, with the money kept in a separate account and spent only on technology needs like computer equipment, software, imaging and printing equipment, and digital record archiving. The bill also formally establishes a court administrator position for the State Court and Magistrate Court of DeKalb County, spelling out how that person is appointed, removed, and what duties they oversee, including budget, human resources, and information technology. Finally, it revises pay rules for several DeKalb County judicial officers, tying the court administrator's and clerk's salaries to a percentage of the Superior Court administrator's pay, and confirming benefits such as health insurance and retirement contributions.

• Authorizes the clerk of the State Court of DeKalb County to charge and collect a technology fee of up to $50 per civil filing, set by majority vote of the judges.
• Authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court of DeKalb County to charge a similar technology fee of up to $50 per civil filing, set by the chief magistrate.
• Requires technology fee revenue to be kept in a segregated account and spent only on computer equipment, software, imaging and printing equipment, or digital records archiving.
• Creates a court administrator position for the State Court and Magistrate Court of DeKalb County, with appointment requiring agreement among at least eight state court judges and the chief magistrate.
• Sets the court administrator's salary at 90 percent of the Superior Court of DeKalb County's administrator pay, and the state court clerk's salary at 90 percent of the state court administrator's pay.
• Confirms that judges, magistrates, the court administrator, clerk, marshal, and chief probation officer receive standard DeKalb County employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement contributions.

People who file civil cases in DeKalb County's State Court or Magistrate Court, who would pay the new technology fee; the clerks of both courts, who collect and manage the fee funds; and DeKalb County judges, the chief magistrate, the court administrator, the state court clerk, the marshal, and the chief probation officer, whose roles, pay, and benefits are affected.

Anyone filing a civil lawsuit in DeKalb County's State Court or Magistrate Court could pay up to $50 more per filing, with that money funding court technology upgrades like digital record-keeping. The bill also locks in a formal chain of command and pay structure for key DeKalb County court staff.

• Section 1 adds Section 11B.3, letting the State Court clerk charge up to $50 per civil filing, set by majority vote of state court judges, restricted to technology purchases and digital archiving.
• Section 1 also lets the Magistrate Court clerk charge the same fee, set by the chief magistrate, with funds kept separate and spent only on the magistrate court's technology needs.
• Section 2 adds Section 20.1, creating a court administrator position requiring approval from at least eight state court judges and the chief magistrate for appointment or removal.
• Section 2 gives the court administrator authority over budget, hiring, payroll, facilities, information technology, court interpreters, and accountability court programs.
• Section 3 revises Section 21.2 to set the court administrator's pay at 90 percent of the Superior Court administrator's salary and the state court clerk's pay at 90 percent of the court administrator's salary.
• Section 3 also guarantees judges, magistrates, and court staff standard DeKalb County employee benefits including health insurance, retirement, and longevity pay.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 666
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2026-03-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)Primary sponsor
• Long Tran (D, HD-080)
• Karla Drenner (D, HD-085)
• Karen Lupton (D, HD-083)
• Billy Mitchell (D, HD-088)
• Shea Roberts (D, HD-052)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   161 yea, 2 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #712

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

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

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• DeKalb County courts
• court fees
• court administration
• judicial pay
• civil filing fees