HB345 Alabama 2022 Session

Updated Feb 22, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Jim HillRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2022
Title: St. Clair Co., sheriff, service of process, fee established, St. Clair Co. Sheriff's Service of Process Fee Fund, established
Summary: This bill creates a new service-of-process fee in St. Clair County to fund the sheriff's office, with eligible exemptions and a dedicated county fund.
What This Bill Does
It adds a $25 in-county and a $50 out-of-county personal service of process fee for documents served by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office. The collected fees go into the St. Clair County Sheriff's Service of Process Fee Fund, which supplements the sheriff's budget for law enforcement and is administered by the county commission. Court clerks collect the fee, and a hardship waiver can apply if the requester shows substantial hardship; the fund is separate from the sheriff's general budget. The bill exempts St. Clair County, its district attorney, law enforcement officials, and grand juries from paying the fee. It applies only to St. Clair County and becomes effective on the first day of the third month after the Governor approves the act.

Who It Affects
Individuals or organizations that require personal service of process in St. Clair County would pay the new $25 (in-county) or $50 (out-of-county) fee, unless they qualify for a hardship waiver.
St. Clair County government, especially the Sheriff's Office and county administration, gains a dedicated fund to support law enforcement activities through the collected fees.

Key Provisions
Imposes a service of process fee: $25 for in-county personal service, $50 for out-of-county personal service.
Creates the St. Clair County Sheriff's Service of Process Fee Fund to be held and administered by the St. Clair County Commission for law enforcement purposes.
Clerks of court collect the fee and distribute it to the fund; a hardship waiver can allow nonpayment if a verified hardship statement is approved by the court.
Exempts St. Clair County, its district attorney, law enforcement officials, and grand juries from paying the fee.
The fund is separate from the sheriff's general budget and the act applies only to St. Clair County.
Effective on the first day of the third month after the 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