HB1553: HB1553 Forest Park, 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 Forest Park to add a technology fee, capped at $10.00, as a surcharge on every criminal and quasi-criminal fine paid to the court. The judge of the municipal court sets the exact fee amount within that cap. The money can only go toward specific technology needs for the court and the city's police department, such as computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, evidence management systems, body cameras, license plate readers, drones, and other technology the city's governing body decides is needed for public safety or court operations. Collected funds must be kept in a separate account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer, and can only be spent with the judge's approval after consulting the court administrator and police chief. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Authorizes the Municipal Court of the City of Forest Park to charge a technology fee of up to $10.00 on each criminal and quasi-criminal fine.
• Restricts use of the fee revenue to specific technology purchases for the court and police department, including computers, evidence systems, and body cameras.
• Allows the funds to pay for license plate readers, drones, and other technology the city government deems necessary for public safety.
• Requires the fee money to be kept in a segregated account managed by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer.
• Requires spending approval from the judge after consulting with the court administrator and the police chief.
• Permits the funds to reimburse the city's information technology department for services provided to the court or police.

People who pay criminal or quasi-criminal fines in the Municipal Court of the City of Forest Park, the court's clerk and judge, the city's police department, the city's chief financial officer, and the city's information technology department.

Anyone fined in Forest Park's municipal court would pay up to $10 more per fine, generating dedicated funding for court and police technology like body cameras and evidence systems without relying on the city's general budget for those purchases.

• Section 1(a) authorizes the fee, capped at $10.00 per fine, with the exact amount set by the municipal court judge.
• Section 1(a) lists four categories of allowed spending: general technology infrastructure, evidence management systems, specialized police technology, and other technology deemed necessary by the city's governing body for public safety or court operations.
• Section 1(b) requires the funds to be kept in a segregated account jointly overoseen by the court clerk and the city's chief financial officer.
• Section 1(b) requires spending to be ordered by the judge after consulting the court administrator and chief of police, and allows reimbursement of the city's IT department.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 592
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-23House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Rhonda Burnough (D, HD-077)Primary sponsor
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)
• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

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

   Local Calendar : House Vote #739

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #873

• municipal court fees
• Forest Park Georgia
• police technology funding
• court administration