HB262 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jim HillRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

St. Clair Co., booking fee, imposed on each person booked in co. jail, co. commission to set fee under certain conditions, Act 2015-93, 2015 Reg. Sess, am'd.

Summary

HB262 adds a $30 booking fee in St. Clair County and directs how the money is spent on jail construction and related facilities, with allocations based on annual proceeds.

What This Bill Does

It amends Section 1 of Act 2015-93 to impose a $30 booking fee as court costs on defendants who are incarcerated or booked in St. Clair County jails, and on defendants for whom costs are otherwise assessed in criminal cases. The clerk collects the fee with other court costs, and it is in addition to existing fines and costs and cannot be waived unless all other fees are waived. The collected fees are remitted monthly to the St. Clair County Commission to be deposited in the county general fund for constructing and maintaining a new county jail or jails and their operation. The act also creates a tiered allocation of proceeds, directing percentages to Ashville justice facilities renovation and maintenance and the remainder to jail construction/maintenance based on annual proceeds, with the effective date immediately after gubernatorial approval.

Who It Affects

• Defendants in St. Clair County who are convicted, plead guilty, or have costs assessed in criminal cases; they would owe a $30 booking fee as part of court costs.
• St. Clair County officials (court clerks and the County Commission) and the county general fund, which will collect, remit, and allocate the booking fee proceeds to jail construction/maintenance and Ashville justice facilities renovations based on annual total proceeds.

Key Provisions

• Imposes a booking fee of $30 as court costs on defendants incarcerated or booked in St. Clair County jails when convicted or pleading guilty, or when costs are otherwise assessed in circuit, district, or municipal court cases.
• The fee is collected by the court clerk with other costs and is in addition to all other fines and court costs; it cannot be waived unless all other fees, assessments, costs, fines, and charges are waived.
• Proceeds are remitted monthly to the St. Clair County Commission to be deposited in the county general fund and used for constructing a new county jail or jails and for their maintenance and operation.
• Allocates proceeds by annual amount into tiers that specify a percentage to be used for renovation/maintenance of Ashville justice facilities, with the remainder used for jail construction/maintenance; percentages range from 10% up to 25% depending on total annual proceeds, with the rest going to jail projects.
• Effective date: takes effect immediately after passage and governor’s approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

St. Clair County