HB 320

HB320 INTRODUCED
1 HB320
2 DGVZRNH-1
3 By Representatives Pettus, Hill
4 RFD: Judiciary
5 First Read: 22-Jan-26
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DGVZRNH-1 01/22/2026 EGC (L)lg 2026-215
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4 SYNOPSIS:
5Existing law does not specifically address where
6the monies deposited into certain county funds are to
7be maintained.
8This bill would require the monies deposited in
9both county law library funds and presiding circuit
10judge's judicial administration funds to be maintained
11in separate funds within the county treasury.
12This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
13technical revisions to update the existing code
14language to current style.
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16
17A BILL
18TO BE ENTITLED
19AN ACT
20
21Relating to county law library and judicial
22 administration funds; to amend Sections 11-25-7 and 12-19-310,
23 Code of Alabama 1975; to require county law library funds to
24 be maintained in a separate fund in the county treasury; to
25 require presiding circuit judge's judicial administration
26 funds to be maintained in a separate fund in the county
27 treasury; and to make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to
28 update the existing code language to current style.
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29 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
30Section 1. Sections 11-25-7 and 12-19-310 are amended
31 to read as follows:
32"§11-25-7
33Upon the establishment of a county law library under
34 the provisions of this chapter, each county shall have and
35 maintain a separate fund within the county treasury known as
36 the County Law Library Fund and may have a separate law
37 library fund for each law library in the county. The county
38 law library funds shall consist of fundsmonies appropriated by
39 the state, county, or municipal governments,; fundsmonies
40 collected under the provisions of law,; proceeds from the sale
41 of copies, books, and other materials, or received from
42 donations, gifts, grants, and funds other than those
43 appropriated, and shall be audited as other county funds are
44 audited. SaidA county law library fund may be used to match
45 grants for library purposes. Library funds may be used to pay
46 library personnel. All purchases by or on behalf of sucha
47 county law library shall be exempt from all State of Alabama,
48 county, or municipal sales, use, or other similar taxes."
49"§12-19-310
50(a) In addition to the docket fees now authorized by
51 law, additional docket fees shall be assessed in all circuit,
52 district, and municipal courts as follows:
53(1) In civil cases in the circuit and district courts,
54 except child support cases and as further provided for small
55 claims cases, an additional docket fee of forty-five dollars
56 ($45) and in small claims cases an additional docket fee of
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57 fifteen dollars ($15).
58(2) In criminal cases in the circuit, district, and
59 municipal courts, except juvenile cases and as further
60 provided for traffic cases, an additional docket fee of forty
61 dollars ($40) and in traffic cases, but excluding parking
62 violations, an additional docket fee of twenty-six dollars
63 ($26).
64(b)(1) Two dollars ($2) of the traffic docket fee shall
65 be distributed to the Police Officers' Annuity Fund before any
66 distribution pursuant to subsections (c) and (d).
67(2) Ten dollars ($10) of each fee in municipal court
68 shall be retained by the presiding municipal judge or the
69 municipal court clerk for operation of the municipal court
70 and, before any distribution in subsections (c) and (d),
71 distributed to the municipality for the operation of the
72 municipal courts.
73(c) There is established in the State Treasury the
74 State Judicial Administration Fund. Two-thirds of the docket
75 fees collected pursuant to subsection (a) shall be distributed
76 to the fund and used by the Administrative Office of Courts as
77 determined by the Administrative Director of Courts for the
78 operation of courts in this state.
79(d) There is established in each judicial circuit of
80 this state the Presiding Circuit Judge's Judicial
81 Administration Fund and in each county in this state the
82 Circuit Clerk's Judicial Administration Fund. One-sixth of the
83 docket fees collected in each circuit pursuant to subsection
84 (a) shall be distributed to the Presiding Circuit Judge's
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85 Judicial Administration Fund in the circuit and maintained
86 within the county treasuryin the circuit. One-sixth of the
87 docket fees collected in each county pursuant to subsection
88 (a) shall be distributed to the Circuit Clerk's Judicial
89 Administration Fund in the county.
90(e)(1) The funds distributed pursuant to subsection (d)
91 shall be expended for the support of local court operations,
92 including, but not limited to, salaries and benefits of court
93 employees where necessary for the efficient operations of the
94 courts in the circuit and for other expenses as individually
95 determined necessary by the presiding circuit judge or any
96 circuit clerk to promote efficient administration of justice.
97 Funds distributed pursuant to subsection (d) shall not reduce
98 the amount payable to the presiding circuit judge or any
99 circuit clerk under any local act or general act or reduce or
100 affect the amounts of funding allocated by the Administrative
101 Office of Courts to the budget of the presiding circuit judge
102 or any circuit clerk.
103(2) In addition to subdivision (1) relating to the
104 circuit clerk, each clerk, at his or her discretion, may use
105 the money in the Circuit Clerk's Judicial Administration Fund
106 for the purpose of awarding merit and promotionspromotion
107 raises to full-time employees of the clerk's office.
108(f) All expenditures of funds pursuant to this section
109 shall be audited as all other state funds are audited.
110(g) The docket fees assessed pursuant to this section
111 shall not be waived or remitted by the court unless all docket
112 fees associated with the case are waived or remitted.
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113(h) The court clerk shall distribute the fees provided
114 for in this section on a monthly basis as other costs and fees
115 are distributed."
116Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
117 1, 2026.
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