HB368 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jerry StarnesRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Elmore County; relating to court costs and booking fees

Summary

HB368 would create two new Elmore County fees—a $100 court cost (for circuit court cases excluding traffic) and a $100 booking fee for defendants—both rising by $5 each year, with revenue funding judicial complex expansion, debt service, and maintenance.

What This Bill Does

It imposes a $100 court cost on most Elmore County circuit court cases (excluding traffic) and a $100 booking fee for defendants convicted or who plead guilty and are jailed. Both fees increase by $5 on January 1 each year and cannot be waived unless all other case fees are waived. Proceeds go into the Enhance Elmore Fund, to be used first for debt service related to expansion/renovation of the judicial complex, and after debt is paid, for maintenance, operations, and upgrades of the facilities on the judicial complex.

Who It Affects

• Defendants in Elmore County circuit or district court cases (excluding traffic) will owe the new $100 court cost, with the amount increasing by $5 each year.
• Defendants who are convicted or plead guilty and are booked into the Elmore County Jail will owe the $100 booking fee, with the amount increasing by $5 each year.

Key Provisions

• Section 2(a)(1): Establishes a $100 court cost for all circuit court cases in Elmore County (excluding traffic); the cost increases by $5 each January 1; it is in addition to other costs and cannot be waived unless all other fees and charges are waived; collected by the court clerk; proceeds deposited into the Enhance Elmore Fund; funds used first for debt service of the judicial complex expansion/renovation, then for maintenance, operations, and upgrades of facilities on the judicial complex.
• Section 2(c)(1)-(2): The clerk certifies the annual increase and publishes notice of the fee amount and adjustment; all proceeds go to the Enhance Elmore Fund; the county commission appropriates funds first for debt service related to the judicial complex and, after debt is paid, for maintenance and upgrades of the facilities on the judicial complex.
• Section 3(a)(1): Establishes a $100 booking fee for each defendant incarcerated or booked into the Elmore County Jail if the defendant is convicted or pleads guilty in cases prosecuted in the county's circuit or district courts; the fee increases by $5 each January 1; it is in addition to other fines and costs and cannot be waived unless all other fees are waived; collected by the court clerk; proceeds deposited into the Enhance Elmore Fund; funds used first for debt service and then for maintenance/operations/upgrades of facilities on the judicial complex.
• Section 4: The act becomes effective January 1, 2026.

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

Subjects

Elmore County