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HB491 • 2026

Tallapoosa County; remote access of records fee authorized

Tallapoosa County; remote access of records fee authorized

Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Oliver
Last action
2026-03-17
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Tallapoosa County; Remote Access Records Fee

This law allows Tallapoosa County to charge a fee for people who access records remotely through computers or other electronic systems.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Judge of Probate in Tallapoosa County to collect an additional fee when someone accesses records remotely using a computer or another digital system.
  • Requires that any fees collected must be put into a special fund controlled by the Judge of Probate for use in maintaining and improving office operations, including technology needs.
  • Gives the Judge of Probate the power to decide how these funds should be used within the office.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who access records remotely from Tallapoosa County's Judge of Probate office will have to pay a fee if this law is enacted.
  • Tallapoosa County's Judge of Probate and their staff may benefit from improved technology and operational funding.

Terms To Know

Judge of Probate
A county official who oversees probate court matters, including record-keeping and estate management.
Remote access
The ability to use a computer or electronic system to view records from another location without being physically present at the office.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law only applies in Tallapoosa County and does not affect other counties.
  • It is unclear how much the fee will be or when it will start being collected.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-17 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Signature Requested

  3. 2026-03-10 House

    Delivered to Governor

  4. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 709 (Yeas 27, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 27, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-03-05 House

    Enrolled

  7. 2026-03-05 House

    Ready to Enroll

  8. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  10. 2026-02-26 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 600 (Yeas 14, Nays 0)

  11. 2026-02-26 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 51, Nays 0)

  12. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  13. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Local Legislation

  14. 2026-02-25 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  15. 2026-02-25 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  16. 2026-02-24 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  17. 2026-02-24 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Local Legislation

Official Summary Text

Tallapoosa County; remote access of records fee authorized

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB491 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB491
11YH2LZ-2
By Representative Oliver (N & P)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 24-Feb-26
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HB491 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 24-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to Tallapoosa County; to authorize the
collection and expenditure of a fee for remote access of
records; and to ratify and confirm prior collection and
expenditure of fees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall only apply in Tallapoosa
County.
Section 2. (a) The Tallapoosa County Judge of Probate
may charge and collect an additional fee for the remote access
of records in the office of the judge of probate by computer
or other electronic or digital system.
(b) Fees collected pursuant to subsection (a) shall be
deposited into the special indexing fund of the Tallapoosa
County Judge of Probate or any successor special fund under
the control of the judge of probate. The funds shall be used
for the maintenance, operation, and improvement of the office,
including, but not limited to, the recording system and
remote-access services.
(c) The judge of probate shall have discretion to
determine the appropriate use of these funds for the general
operation, technology needs, or improvement of the office.
Section 3. The collection and expenditure of fees for
remote access of records in the office of the judge of probate
by computer or other electronic or digital system prior to the
effective date of this act are ratified and confirmed.
Section 4. This act shall become effective on June 1,
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HB491 Enrolled
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Section 4. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.29
HB491 Enrolled
Page 3
2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 26-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 05-Mar-26 Passed
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