HB499 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris EnglandRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Courts, Alabama Court Cost Commission, established, const. amend.

Summary

The bill would amend the Alabama Constitution to create the Alabama Court Cost Commission to review court costs and require prior review before creating or changing them.

What This Bill Does

It establishes the Alabama Court Cost Commission with members from the Legislature, the judiciary, and the legal and court system. The commission must review all existing court cost laws to determine if the costs relate reasonably to the court system and to the expenses of adjudicating cases, and it must recommend whether each law should be amended, repealed, or left unchanged. It would prohibit introducing new or modifying a court cost unless the proposal is submitted to the commission for review, and the commission must provide findings and recommendations before any action occurs.

Who It Affects

• State lawmakers and legislators — required to consider the Commission's recommendations and cannot introduce new or amended court costs without review.
• Judiciary and court system participants (including judges, clerks, and the Administrative Office of Courts) — their operations and the costs of running courts would be scrutinized by the Commission, which may influence funding and cost decisions.
• Court users and taxpayers — potential changes to court costs could affect the fees charged when using courts.
• Legal community and court staff (Bar members and related officials) — representation on the Commission and involvement in the review and reporting process.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Alabama Court Cost Commission to review existing court cost laws and determine if costs are reasonably related to the court system and the costs of adjudication, with recommendations to amend, repeal, or leave unchanged.
• Defines 'court cost' for the amendment as money charged by courts in civil, criminal, juvenile, or traffic cases, excluding probate costs, restitution, or punitive fines.
• Specifies Commission membership, including one House Judiciary member, one Senate Judiciary member, the Chief Justice or a justice appointed by the Chief Justice, the Administrative Director of Courts or a representative, and other judicial and bar representatives, with emphasis on diversity.
• Requires proposed new or amended court costs to be submitted to the Commission 30 days before the legislative session, and obligates the Commission to review and report findings to the Legislature by the third legislative day of the session.
• Provides for Commission resources and support (compensation for legislative members, travel expenses, staff assistance from the Legislative Services Agency, and potential grants).
• The amendment would be voted on by statewide election; it becomes part of the Constitution if approved by a majority of voters.

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

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments