HB580 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Millican

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

25th Judicial Circuit, Marion and Winston County, court costs, assessment and distribution to Public Defender Fund, distribution after repeal of Act 720, 1978 Reg. Sess.; Act 2011-576, 2011 Reg. Sess., am'd

Summary

HB580 repeals Act 720 and redirects court-cost funds in the 25th Judicial Circuit (Marion and Winston Counties) from a Public Defender Fund to the circuit clerks’ funds, with retroactive validation of past distributions.

What This Bill Does

The bill shifts funds collected from court costs that would have gone to the Public Defender Fund to the circuit clerk's funds in Marion and Winston Counties. It applies to funds accrued after the 2011-576 act took effect, and to earlier funds collected after that date. It retroactively ratifies prior distributions to the circuit clerks where the Public Defender Fund was no longer operating. It becomes effective immediately after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Circuit clerks in Marion County and Winston County, who would receive the redirected court-cost funds into their respective circuit clerk funds.
• The Public Defender Fund and its office in the 25th Judicial Circuit, which are no longer operative and would have their funding redirected and retroactively ratified in favor of the circuit clerks.

Key Provisions

• Any court costs assessed under Act 720 and collected after Act 2011-576 (which repealed Act 720) that were to be distributed to the Public Defender Fund will be distributed to the circuit clerk's fund of the respective counties.
• Any such court costs assessed under Act 720, prior to Act 2011-576 and collected after Act 2011-576, that were meant for the Public Defender Fund shall also be distributed to the circuit clerk's fund.
• Distributions of funds collected under Act 720 prior to the effective date of Act 2011-576, which were distributed after the Public Defender Fund ceased operations, are retroactively ratified and confirmed as to their distribution to the circuit clerk's funds.
• The act becomes effective immediately after passage and approval by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Winston County