HB 1485: Union County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to the Probate Court of Union County. It authorizes the court's clerk to charge and collect a technology fee, set by the probate judge, of no more than $5.00 on each civil action filed with the court and up to $5.00 as a surcharge on each fine the court imposes. The money can only be spent on the court's technology needs: buying or leasing computer hardware and software, maintaining and installing imaging, scanning, fax, communications, projection, and printing equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files for public access. The funds must be kept in a separate account that the county government's auditor can review. The fee authority ends on July 1, 2036, and whatever money is left over at that point stays dedicated to general Union County technology purposes.

• Authorizes the Probate Court of Union County's clerk to charge a technology fee, capped at $5.00, on each civil case filed and as a surcharge on each fine.
• Limits how the fee money can be spent, restricting it to computer equipment, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee revenue to be kept in a separate account subject to audit by a Union County-approved auditor.
• Sets an end date of July 1, 2036 for the fee, after which leftover funds must go toward general Union County technology uses.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with these new rules.

People who file civil cases in the Probate Court of Union County, people who are fined by that court, the probate court clerk and judge who set and collect the fee, and Union County's government, which will audit and eventually receive leftover funds.

Residents and businesses filing civil matters or paying fines in Union County's probate court would pay a small added cost, up to $10 combined in some cases, that funds court technology upgrades like digital record access, rather than relying on general county funds.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee amounts (up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 per fine) and limits their use to four specific technology categories.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee revenue be kept in a segregated account and be subject to audit by an auditor approved by Union County's governing authority.
• Section 1(c) terminates the fee authority on July 1, 2036 and dedicates any remaining balance to general county technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 565
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-03-25Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
7. 2026-03-23Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
8. 2026-03-20House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)

• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)Patrocinador principal

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes20 de marzo de 2026

   153 a favor, 0 en contra (14 sin votar, 9 ausentes)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #734

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado25 de marzo de 2026

   50 a favor, 0 en contra (2 sin votar, 2 ausentes)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #799

• Union County
• probate court fees
• local legislation
• court technology funding