HB598 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Randy WoodRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Calhoun Co., sheriff, booking fee in county jail, collection by clerk

Summary

HB598 would create a $30 booking fee for people booked into Calhoun County Jail who are later convicted, with specified collection and revenue-distribution rules.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill would impose a $30 booking fee on each person booked into the Calhoun County Jail who is subsequently convicted. The fee would be collected by the court clerk and noted on the docket, in addition to other fines or charges, but it would not be considered a court cost. Revenues from the fee would be split: $15 to the Sheriff’s Department Law Enforcement Fund, $10 to the Clerk’s Judicial Administration Fund, and $5 to the Calhoun County General Fund. If the fee is unpaid, the District Attorney may assist in collection, and the Sheriff may contract for collection and pay part of the fee as a collection cost. The Sheriff could withhold money from an incarcerated person equal to the fee, with repayment if there is no conviction. The fee funds would be in addition to existing funding and not a replacement. The act would take effect on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Individuals who are booked into the Calhoun County Jail and later convicted of a crime, who would be charged a $30 booking fee and may have the fee collected by the clerk or withheld from incarcerated funds (with repayment if there is no conviction).
• Calhoun County government entities involved in funding and collection: the Sheriff’s Department (receives $15 per fee), the Circuit Clerk’s Office (receives $10), and the Calhoun County General Fund (receives $5); the District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff may assist or participate in collection.

Key Provisions

• Booking fee: a $30 booking fee is assessed against and collected from each person booked into Calhoun County Jail and subsequently convicted, in addition to other fines or charges.
• Collection and docket entry: the fee is assessed upon conviction, entered on the docket by the clerk, and collected like court costs, but it is not treated as a court cost merely because it is collected by the clerk.
• Revenue distribution: $15 to the Sheriff's Department Law Enforcement Fund, $10 to the Clerk's Judicial Administration Fund, and $5 to the Calhoun County General Fund.
• Enforcement and collection: if unpaid, the District Attorney may assist in collection; the sheriff may contract for collection and pay a portion as a collection cost.
• Withholding from incarcerated funds: the sheriff may withhold amounts equal to the fee from money belonging to an incarcerated person, to be credited toward the fee; if there is no conviction, the withheld funds must be repaid.
• Funding does not replace other funds: revenues are in addition to existing funding and do not reduce funds from other sources.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

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

Subjects

Calhoun County