HB1511: HB1511 Court Technology Funding Act; enact

Georgia courts currently have no statewide system for funding technology upgrades through court fees. HB 1511 creates the 'Court Technology Funding Act,' allowing courts to add up to a $5 fee to most civil case filings and up to a $5 penalty on criminal or traffic fines, but only after the local governing authority (county commission, city council, or consolidated government) adopts a resolution putting the fee system into effect. Money collected goes into a separate technology fund managed by the clerk of court, based on a technology plan developed by the chief judge and following Judicial Council of Georgia standards. Funds can pay for computer hardware and software, courthouse security and imaging systems, network connections, staff training, and related contractors. Starting July 1, 2027, the law preempts any new local laws creating separate court technology fees, though existing local fee laws can continue. Courts must start reporting fee collections to the Judicial Council of Georgia annually beginning August 1, 2028. The Act takes effect July 1, 2027, applying to cases and offenses on or after that date, only where local governments have opted in.

• Authorizes courts to charge up to a $5 additional filing fee on most civil cases, including adoptions, name changes, and probate matters, once a local government opts in.
• Authorizes courts to add up to a $5 penalty to criminal and traffic fines and ordinance violation penalties to fund the same technology program.
• Requires a county, city, or consolidated government to pass a resolution before any court in its jurisdiction can start collecting these fees.
• Creates a separate technology fund at each participating court, controlled by the clerk of court, to pay for computer systems, courthouse security equipment, and staff training.
• Blocks any new local laws creating separate court technology fees after July 1, 2027, while letting existing local fee laws continue operating.
• Adds the new technology fund to the priority list of where partial fine and cost payments get distributed under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-95.

Georgia's superior, state, probate, magistrate, recorder's, mayor's, and municipal courts; county and city governing authorities that must approve fee resolutions; clerks of court who manage the funds; people filing civil cases like adoptions or guardianships; and anyone who pays a criminal, traffic, or ordinance fine.

If local governments opt in, people filing civil lawsuits or paying traffic and criminal fines would pay small added fees, generating a dedicated pool of money for court computers, security systems, and technology staff, potentially improving court operations without relying solely on general county or state budgets.

• Section 1 adds the new technology fund to the distribution priority list for partial payments of fines and costs under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-95.
• Section 2 creates a new article establishing the Court Technology Funding Act, defining 'governing authority' and its purpose of funding court technology statewide.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-21-222 requires a governing authority resolution before fees can be collected, and lets the chief judge delegate plan oversight to a technology board.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-21-223 sets the civil filing fee cap at $5.00 and lists which probate and habeas corpus matters count as a 'civil action' for the fee.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-21-224 sets the additional criminal or ordinance violation penalty cap at $5.00, collected alongside existing fines.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-21-225 lists allowed uses for the fund, including hardware, software, courthouse security systems, connectivity, and staff training.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-21-227 preempts new local court technology fee laws starting July 1, 2027, while preserving funds already collected under prior local laws.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as July 1, 2027, applying only where local governing authorities have adopted the fee system.

1. 2026-03-09House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-04House Hopper (House)

• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)Primary sponsor
• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
• Robert Flournoy (D, HD-074)

• court fees
• court technology
• local government
• civil filing fees
• criminal fines