HB589 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Alan Harper

Republican

Co-Sponsors

William “Bill” M. BeasleyWilliam E. ThigpenRobert Bentley

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Lamar Co., court costs, drug enforcement fee, Legislature authorized to provide by local law, distrib. to clerk of the court and drug enforcement fund, const. amend.

Summary

A proposed constitutional amendment for Lamar County would authorize a drug enforcement fee in certain court cases and create a dedicated fund to support the county’s drug enforcement efforts.

What This Bill Does

If approved, the amendment would impose a drug enforcement fee in Lamar County courts for juvenile, traffic, criminal, and quasi-criminal cases with specific amounts: $10 for non-drug cases, $60 for misdemeanor drug cases, and $85 for felony drug cases. The fee would be collected in all cases where court costs are assessed, including guilty verdicts, bond forfeitures, penalties, or warrants, and would be distributed monthly with $3 retained by the clerk as an administrative fee and the remainder funding the Drug Enforcement Fund. The Lamar County Drug Enforcement Fund would be managed by the district attorney and used to support the county drug task force, cover expenses, grant matching, salaries, and other law enforcement needs. The Legislature could set or adjust court costs and their distribution, and an election would be held in June to approve the amendment.

Who It Affects

• Residents and individuals involved in juvenile, traffic, criminal, or quasi-criminal cases in Lamar County who would pay the new drug enforcement fee (amounts vary by case type).
• Court staff and local law enforcement in Lamar County, including the clerk of the court who collects the fee and the Drug Enforcement Fund/drug task force that uses the money, with the district attorney administering the fund.

Key Provisions

• Imposes a drug enforcement fee in Lamar County courts: $10 in non-drug cases, $60 in misdemeanor drug cases, $85 in felony drug cases; applies to juvenile, district, circuit, and municipal courts and is assessed in all cases where court costs are assessed.
• Distributes collected fees: $3 retained by the clerk as an administrative fee; the remainder goes to the Lamar County Drug Enforcement Fund or other prescribed fund.
• Creates a Lamar County Drug Enforcement Fund to be administered by the district attorney for the drug task force, covering expenses, grant matching, salaries, and other law enforcement purposes.
• Allows the Legislature to fix, regulate, and alter court costs and their distribution in Lamar County; ratifies existing local laws authorizing additional court costs; an election will be held to approve the amendment.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Lamar County