HB549 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mike Hill
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Shelby Co., court costs, criminal cases in circuit and district courts, booking fee for convicted defendants booked or incarcerated in county jail, distrib. to county general fund
Summary: HB549 imposes a $30 booking and administration fee on defendants jailed in Shelby County for cases handled there, with the money going to a county jail fund for capital projects and maintenance.
What This Bill Does
The bill requires the court clerk or designated municipal official to add a $30 booking fee to the costs for each defendant imprisoned or booked in the Shelby County Jail when they are convicted or plead guilty in Shelby County circuit/district courts or in a municipal court located in the county. If the court suspends the sentence or places the defendant on probation without a conviction, the fee must still be imposed. The fee is collected like other court costs and is in addition to all other fines and charges, and it cannot be waived unless all other costs are waived. Collected fees are remitted monthly to the Shelby County Commission to be placed in a special fund within the county's general fund for jail capital projects and maintenance costs. The act takes effect on the first day of the third month after it becomes law.

Who It Affects
Defendants who are incarcerated or booked in the Shelby County Jail for cases in Shelby County circuit/district courts or municipal courts within the county; they will owe a $30 booking fee.
Shelby County government (County Commission and jail system) which will receive and use the collected fees for jail capital projects and maintenance.
Court clerks and municipal officials responsible for assessing, entering, and collecting court costs, as they must assess and collect the new fee and remit it monthly.

Key Provisions
A $30 booking and administration fee is added to court costs for each defendant incarcerated or booked in the Shelby County Jail when convicted or pleading guilty in county circuit/district courts or municipal courts located in the county.
If the court suspends imposition of sentence or places the defendant on probation without a conviction, the booking and administration fee must still be imposed as an additional court cost.
The fee is collected in the same manner as other court costs and is in addition to all other fines, costs, or charges; it cannot be waived unless all other costs are waived.
The collected fees are remitted monthly to the Shelby County Commission to be deposited into a special fund within the county general fund used for jail capital projects and maintenance costs.
The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after it is passed and approved.

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