HB1542: HB1542 Worth County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to Worth County. It authorizes the clerk of the Magistrate Court there to charge and collect a technology fee, set by the chief magistrate, of no more than $10 for filing each civil action and no more than $10 as a surcharge on each fine the court assesses. The money collected can only be used for specific technology needs: buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing that equipment, purchasing or leasing imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment, and converting court records to digital form for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account. The court's authority to charge this fee ends on July 1, 2036, and any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Worth County technology uses.

• Authorizes the Worth County Magistrate Court clerk to charge up to $10 for filing a civil action, set by the chief magistrate.
• Authorizes a separate surcharge of up to $10 on every fine the court assesses.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purchases, leases, maintenance, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee money to be kept in a segregated account separate from other court funds.
• Ends the court's authority to collect the fee on July 1, 2036, with leftover funds staying dedicated to Worth County technology uses.

People who file civil lawsuits in the Worth County Magistrate Court and people who are fined by that court will pay the new fee. The magistrate court clerk and chief magistrate administer it, and Worth County's local technology infrastructure benefits from the funds.

Anyone filing a civil case or paying a fine in Worth County's Magistrate Court would pay up to $20 more in combined fees, money that would go toward computers, scanning equipment, and digitizing court records rather than the county's general fund, with the fee authority expiring in 2036.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee structure: up to $10 per civil filing and up to $10 as a surcharge on each fine, with the exact amount set by the chief magistrate.
• Section 1(a) lists the only allowed uses: computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records for public access.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue to be kept in a segregated account managed by the clerk.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2036 and dedicates any remaining funds to general Worth County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 584
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-27Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-23House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Bill Yearta (R, HD-152)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

   158 yea, 0 nay (12 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #739

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   47 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #825

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