05 LC
18 3888
House
Bill 414
By:
Representatives Amerson of the
9th
and Reece of the
27th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
authorize the Magistrate Court of Lumpkin County to charge a technology fee for
each civil case filed and criminal fine imposed; to specify the uses to which
said technology fees may be put; to provide for review and reports; to provide
for adjustment of such fee; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
(a)
The clerk of the Magistrate Court of Lumpkin County shall be entitled to charge
and collect a technology fee to be set by the court in the amount of $8.00 for
the filing of each civil action and $8.00 as a surcharge to each fine paid.
Technology fees shall be used exclusively to provide for the technological needs
of the magistrate court. Such uses shall include only the
following:
(1)
Computer hardware and software purchases;
(2)
Lease, maintenance, and installation of computer hardware; and
(3)
Purchase, lease, maintenance, and installation of imaging, scanning, facsimile,
communications, projection, and printing equipment and software.
(b)
The funds collected pursuant to this section shall be maintained in a segregated
fund by the clerk of the magistrate court and shall be used only for the
purposes authorized in this section at the direction of the judge of the
magistrate court.
(c)
The clerk shall collaborate with the finance director of Lumpkin County to
ensure the effective implementation of this Act.
(d)
At the end of each calendar year, the finance director shall provide a detailed
report of all income and expenditures of the fund to the judge of the magistrate
court and to the governing authority of Lumpkin County.
(e)
Beginning July 1, 2006, and every two years thereafter, the finance director
shall review the fund history and any excess sums not expended or earmarked for
the purposes specified in this Act shall be paid into the general fund of the
county.
(f)
On July 1, 2006, the finance director and the judge of the magistrate court
shall review the fund history and the judge shall be authorized, with the advice
and consent of the governing authority of Lumpkin County, to set the technology
fee at an even dollar figure less than $8.00 by an order filed with the clerk of
the magistrate court.
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective on July 1, 2005.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.