HB521 Alabama 2018 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Chris BlackshearRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2018
Title: Russell Co, courts, domestic violence cases, additional court costs authorized to operate domestic violence shelter
Summary: HB521 adds a $25 court cost in Russell County domestic violence cases to fund a local domestic violence shelter.
What This Bill Does
The bill requires a $25 court cost in all domestic violence-related cases in Russell County courts. Court clerks collect this fee and remit the proceeds quarterly to the Russell County Commission, to be placed in a designated domestic violence account. The funds are then dispersed quarterly to operate the Crisis Center of Russell County's domestic violence shelter, provided the shelter complies with standards set by the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Who It Affects
Defendants in domestic violence, protection from abuse, stalking, or other court-determined DV cases in Russell County, who incur the $25 fee.
Court clerks in Russell County, who must collect the fee and remit it quarterly.
Russell County Commission, which receives the funds and maintains a designated domestic violence account.
Domestic violence shelter at the Crisis Center of Russell County (and its operators), which would receive quarterly funding to operate.
Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, whose standards govern shelter compliance for funding eligibility.

Key Provisions
A new court cost of $25 is added to all domestic violence-related cases in Russell County circuit, district, and municipal courts, to be collected by the court clerk and remitted quarterly to a designated domestic violence account held by the Russell County Commission.
Funds in the domestic violence account are distributed quarterly to operate the domestic violence shelter at the Crisis Center of Russell County, provided the shelter complies with the standards set by the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence; the act becomes effective immediately after governor's 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: Russell County