Spalding County; State Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee
Summary
HB1170 authorizes the State Court of Spalding County to assess and collect a technology fee. The clerk of the state court may charge up to $15 on each civil filing and up to $15 as a surcharge on each fine assessed by the court, with the amount set by the judge of the state court. The bill limits the fee’s use to technology-related needs of the court.
The authorized uses are narrowly defined and include computer hardware, software, accessories, maintenance, installation, audiovisual and imaging equipment, communications and printing equipment, and technical support services. The funds must be kept in a segregated account by the clerk and spent only as directed by the chief judge of the court. The bill also repeals conflicting laws.
Impact
HB1170 creates a local funding mechanism for the State Court of Spalding County by allowing the court to impose dedicated technology fees on civil filings and fines. It affects court administration and court users in Spalding County, but does not broadly change statewide court procedure; instead, it amends local law to support technology purchases and related services for that specific court.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and broadly supported. It passed the House 156-0 and the Senate 50-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. No committee transcripts were provided, but the voting history suggests little to no opposition to the measure.
Contention
There is no recorded substantive contention in the available materials. The only potential point of concern is the imposition of additional fees on civil litigants and on fines, but the unanimous votes suggest lawmakers did not view this as a major issue. The bill’s restrictions on how the money may be used and the requirement that funds be segregated likely helped limit objections.