HB 941: Tift County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

This bill applies only to Tift County. It authorizes the clerk of the Probate Court of Tift County to charge a technology fee, set by the probate judge, of no more than $5 for filing each civil action and no more than $5 as a surcharge added to any fine the court imposes. The money collected must be kept in a separate account, audited by an auditor approved by Tift County's governing authority, and can only be spent on the court's technology needs, such as buying or leasing computer hardware and software, imaging and printing equipment, and converting paper court records into digital files. The authority to collect this fee ends on July 1, 2036, and any money left in the account at that point stays dedicated to general Tift County technology purposes.

• Authorizes the Tift County Probate Court clerk to charge a technology fee of up to $5 per civil filing.
• Authorizes an additional surcharge of up to $5 on each fine assessed by the Tift County Probate Court.
• Restricts use of the collected fees to specific technology purchases, leases, maintenance, and digitizing court records.
• Requires the fee revenue to be kept in a separate, audited account controlled by the probate court clerk.
• Sets July 1, 2036 as the date the fee authority ends, with leftover funds going to general Tift County technology uses.

People who file civil actions in the Tift County Probate Court and people who are fined by that court, since both groups would pay the new fee. It also affects the probate court clerk, the probate judge, and Tift County's governing authority, which oversees the required audits.

Anyone filing a civil case or paying a fine through the Tift County Probate Court would pay a small added cost, capped at $5 per fee type. In exchange, the court gains a dedicated funding source for computers, digital record-keeping, and other equipment upgrades.

• Section 1(a) sets the fee amounts, capping each at $5.00, and lists the four allowed technology uses: hardware and software purchases, equipment leasing and maintenance, imaging and printing equipment, and digitizing court records.
• Section 1(b) requires the fee money to be held in a segregated account and audited by an auditor approved by Tift County's governing authority.
• Section 1(c) ends the fee authority on July 1, 2036 and directs any remaining balance toward general Tift County technology uses.
• Section 2 repeals any existing laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 530
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-02-17Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2026-02-17Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
7. 2026-02-09Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
8. 2026-02-06House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)

• Jaclyn Ford (R, HD-170)Patrocinador principal
• Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes6 de febrero de 2026

   163 a favor, 0 en contra (7 sin votar, 5 ausentes)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #480

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado17 de febrero de 2026

   48 a favor, 1 en contra (2 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #548

• Tift County government
• probate court fees
• local court funding
• court technology