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HB304 INTRODUCED
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HB304
I3JDXWW-1
By Representatives Brinyark, Faulkner
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 21-Jan-26
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I3JDXWW-1 01/19/2026 GED (L)ma 2026-332
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First Read: 21-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, the funds from the Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund may only be used for
specific purposes related to the administration of
justice.
This bill would allow the Administrative Office
of Courts to expend funds from the Advanced Technology
and Data Exchange Fund for the general operation of the
courts.
This bill would also create the Supreme Court
Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund, the Court
of Civil Appeals Advanced Technology and Data Exchange
Fund, and the Court of Criminal Appeals Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund and provide for the
administration of those funds.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to the Advanced Technology and Data Exchange
Fund; to amend Section 12-19-290, Code of Alabama 1975, to
further provide for the expenditure of funds from the Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund; and to create the Supreme
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Technology and Data Exchange Fund; and to create the Supreme
Court Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund, the Court of
Civil Appeals Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund, and
the Court of Criminal Appeals Advanced Technology and Data
Exchange Fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 12-19-290, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§12-19-290
(a) The Administrative Office of Courts Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund is created in the State
Treasury.
(b) The fund shall consist of all monies paid into the
State Treasury to the credit of the fund pursuant to Section
12-19-181 or by legislative appropriations, grant, gift, or
otherwise.
(c) Monies contained in the Advanced Technology and
Data Exchange Fund fund may be expended to provide for any
activities involving the administration of justice , including,
but not limited to, the following purposes:
(1) Expand methods and means for collection and
disbursement of court-ordered monies through the use of credit
cards, electronic fund transfers, or other means and provide
for electronic transfer of records and storage.
(2) Enhance coordination and sharing of data with
local, state, and federal agencies, members of the bar, and
the public.
(3) Provide equipment for electronically filing cases.
(4) Improve accountability for case filings and
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(4) Improve accountability for case filings and
dispositions.
(5) Train and educate employees and officials on the
state and municipal levels of the Unified Judicial System
regarding legal and administrative policies and procedures and
effective usage of the courts' management systems.
(6) Provide education materials including, but not
limited to, manuals, forms, handbooks, books, brochures, and
technology for legal research and case management for court
officials and employees and component groups of the legal
community.
(7) Provide staff, services, and equipment required to
maintain and expand technological improvements and conduct
continuing education and training in these areas.
(8) Provide for any other use by the Administrative
Office of Courts, as determined by the Administrative Director
of Courts, for the general operation of the courts in the
state.
(8)(9)a. Pay service charges, electronic transfer fees,
or any other transaction costs associated with subdivisions
(1) to (7)(8), inclusive.
b. All such costs shall be paid out of funds
appropriated to the Administrative Office of Courts Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund and shall not reduce amounts
due to be distributed to other governmental funds or entities.
(d)(1) Subject to the adoption of uniform rules by the
Administrative Office of Courts, the clerks of the circuit and
district courts may accept credit cards, charge cards, or
debit cards issued from any bank, foreign lender, domestic
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debit cards issued from any bank, foreign lender, domestic
lender, or credit card bank as defined in Section 5-20-3 for
the payment of court costs, fees, fines, forfeitures,
judgments, restitution, attorney fees, any monies collected
and payable to individuals, businesses or partnerships, or any
person or entity or assessments of any kind. Any other
provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the clerk of
the court or agent thereof accepting payment as provided for
in this subsection shall impose and collect a surcharge or
convenience fee in respect of payments made by credit card,
charge card, or debit card for any of the above in an amount
not exceeding the sum of the following:
a. theThe transaction fee or discount charged by the
credit card, charge card, or debit card issuer or processor
with respect to such payments ; and .
b. anyAny cost or fee charged with respect to the
payments pursuant to agreement between the Administrative
Office of Courts and a contracting entity which provides
software, support, and management services in connection with
the acceptance of payment by credit card, charge card, or
debit card by the clerks of the circuit and district courts as
provided herein.
(2) The imposition and validity of any surcharges or
convenience fees heretofore charged and collected by clerks of
the circuit or district courts or their agents prior to June
1, 2014, are hereby ratified and confirmed.
(e) The Administrative Director of Courts or any
municipality may contract with any company that issues credit
cards to collect and seize credit cards issued by any company
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cards to collect and seize credit cards issued by any company
that are outdated or otherwise unauthorized. The state or
municipality may charge the company a fee for the return of
the credit cards. Any fees collected pursuant to this
subsection by state courts shall be deposited into the
Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund and the fees
collected by a municipal court shall be deposited into the
general fund of the municipality.
(f) Procedures for implementing the provisions of Act
99-427 may be promulgated adopted as Rules of Judicial
Administration adopted by the Supreme Court of Alabama.
(g) At the end of any fiscal year, any unexpended or
unencumbered monies contributed to or deposited in the fund
from any source, except appropriations from other state funds,
shall remain in the fund.
(h) The clerk of any court shall not be liable to any
person for any action taken pursuant to this section if he or
she acts in accordance with the rules adopted by the
Administrative Office of Courts."
Section 2. (a) The Supreme Court Advanced Technology
and Data Exchange Fund is created in the State Treasury.
(b) The fund shall consist of all monies paid into the
State Treasury to the credit of the fund through user fees,
copy fees, subscriptions, service charges, and any other
sources associated with the operation of the appellate court
case management system or by the legislative appropriations,
grant, gift, or otherwise.
(c) Monies contained in the fund may be expended by the
Supreme Court of Alabama to provide for any activities
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Supreme Court of Alabama to provide for any activities
involving the administration of justice including the
following purposes:
(1) Expand methods and means for collection and
disbursement of court-ordered monies through the use of credit
cards, electronic funds transfers, or other means and provide
for electronic transfer of records and storage.
(2) Enhance coordination and sharing of data with
local, state, and federal agencies, members of the bar, and
the public.
(3) Provide equipment for electronically filing cases.
(4) Improve accountability for case filings and
dispositions.
(5) Train and educate employees and officials on the
trial or appellate levels of the Unified Judicial System
regarding legal and administrative policies and procedures and
effective usage of the courts' management systems.
(6) Provide education materials including manuals,
forms, handbooks, books, brochures, and technology for legal
research and case management for appellate and trial court
officials and employees and component groups of the legal
community.
(7) Provide staff, services, and equipment required to
maintain and expand technological improvements and conduct
continuing education and training in these areas.
(8) Provide for any other use by the Supreme Court of
Alabama for the general operations that further the
administration of justice.
(9) Pay service charges, electronic transfer fees, or
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(9) Pay service charges, electronic transfer fees, or
any other transaction costs associated with subdivisions (1)
to (8), inclusive.
(d) The Administrative Office of Courts is authorized
to transfer to the Supreme Court Advanced Technology and Data
Exchange Fund established by subsection (a) any amounts on
deposit in the Administrative Office of Courts Advanced
Technology Data and Exchange Fund to the credit of the Supreme
Court of Alabama.
(e) At the end of any fiscal year, any unexpended or
unencumbered monies contributed to or deposited in the fund
from any source shall remain in the fund for the use of the
Supreme Court of Alabama.
(f) All monies in the fund shall be budgeted and
allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act in accordance
with Article 4 of Chapter 4 and Chapter 19 of Title 41, Code
of Alabama 1975, and only in the amount provided by the
Legislature in the general appropriations act or other
appropriations act.
Section 3. (a) The Court of Civil Appeals Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund is created in the State
Treasury.
(b) The fund shall consist of all monies paid into the
State Treasury to the credit of the fund through user fees,
copy fees, subscriptions, service charges, and any other
sources associated with the operation of the appellate court
case management system or by the legislative appropriations,
grant, gift, or otherwise.
(c) Monies contained in the fund may be expended by the
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(c) Monies contained in the fund may be expended by the
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals to provide for any activities
involving the administration of justice including the
following purposes:
(1) Expand methods and means for collection and
disbursement of court-ordered monies through the use of credit
cards, electronic funds transfers, or other means and provide
for electronic transfer of records and storage.
(2) Enhance coordination and sharing of data with
local, state, and federal agencies, members of the bar, and
the public.
(3) Provide equipment for electronically filing cases.
(4) Improve accountability for case filings and
dispositions.
(5) Train and educate employees and officials on the
trial or appellate levels of the Unified Judicial System
regarding legal and administrative policies and procedures and
effective usage of the courts' management systems.
(6) Provide education materials including manuals,
forms, handbooks, books, brochures, and technology for legal
research and case management for appellate and trial court
officials and employees and component groups of the legal
community.
(7) Provide staff, services, and equipment required to
maintain and expand technological improvements and conduct
continuing education and training in these areas.
(8) Provide for any other use by the Alabama Court of
Civil Appeals for the general operations that further the
administration of justice.
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administration of justice.
(9) Pay service charges, electronic transfer fees, or
any other transaction costs associated with subdivisions (1)
to (8), inclusive.
(d) The Administrative Office of Courts is authorized
to transfer to the Court of Civil Appeals Advanced Technology
and Data Exchange Fund established by subsection (a) any
amounts on deposit in the Administrative Office of Courts
Advanced Technology Data and Exchange Fund to the credit of
the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.
(e) At the end of any fiscal year, any unexpended or
unencumbered monies contributed to or deposited in the fund
from any source shall remain in the fund for the use of the
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.
(f) All monies in the fund shall be budgeted and
allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act in accordance
with Article 4 of Chapter 4 and Chapter 19 of Title 41, Code
of Alabama 1975, and only in the amount provided by the
Legislature in the general appropriations act or other
appropriations act.
Section 4. (a) The Court of Criminal Appeals Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund is created in the State
Treasury.
(b) The fund shall consist of all monies paid into the
State Treasury to the credit of the fund through user fees,
copy fees, subscriptions, service charges, and any other
sources associated with the operation of the appellate court
case management system or by the legislative appropriations,
grant, gift, or otherwise.
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grant, gift, or otherwise.
(c) Monies contained in the fund may be expended by the
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to provide for any
activities involving the administration of justice including
the following purposes:
(1) Expand methods and means for collection and
disbursement of court-ordered monies through the use of credit
cards, electronic funds transfers, or other means and provide
for electronic transfer of records and storage.
(2) Enhance coordination and sharing of data with
local, state, and federal agencies, members of the bar, and
the public.
(3) Provide equipment for electronically filing cases.
(4) Improve accountability for case filings and
dispositions.
(5) Train and educate employees and officials on the
trial or appellate levels of the Unified Judicial System
regarding legal and administrative policies and procedures and
effective usage of the courts' management systems.
(6) Provide education materials including manuals,
forms, handbooks, books, brochures, and technology for legal
research and case management for appellate and trial court
officials and employees and component groups of the legal
community.
(7) Provide staff, services, and equipment required to
maintain and expand technological improvements and conduct
continuing education and training in these areas.
(8) Provide for any other use by the Alabama Court of
Criminal Appeals for the general operations that further the
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Criminal Appeals for the general operations that further the
administration of justice.
(9) Pay service charges, electronic transfer fees, or
any other transaction costs associated with subdivisions (1)
to (8), inclusive.
(d) The Administrative Office of Courts is authorized
to transfer to the Court of Criminal Appeals Advanced
Technology and Data Exchange Fund established by subsection
(a) any amounts on deposit in the Administrative Office of
Courts Advanced Technology Data and Exchange Fund to the
credit of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals.
(e) At the end of any fiscal year, any unexpended or
unencumbered monies contributed to or deposited in the fund
from any source shall remain in the fund for the use of the
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals.
(f) All monies in the fund shall be budgeted and
allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act in accordance
with Article 4 of Chapter 4 and Chapter 19 of Title 41, Code
of Alabama 1975, and only in the amount provided by the
Legislature in the general appropriations act or other
appropriations act.
Section 5. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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