Court fees; use of funds allocated to sheriff's office for expenditure further provided

Plain English Breakdown

The official text defines the new spending authority broadly as 'law enforcement purposes,' leaving the exact scope to be determined by future interpretation or policy.

HB91: Changing How Sheriff's Office Can Use Court Fee Money

This bill changes the law to let sheriffs use money from court fees for any sheriff office work, not just running jails.

What This Bill Does

• Amends Section 12-19-312 of the Code of Alabama 1975 regarding how court fee funds are spent.
• Allows the Sheriff's Fund to be used at the direction of the sheriff for law enforcement purposes, in addition to jail operations.
• Confirms that fees allocated to the Solicitor's Fund can be used for district attorney expenses or legitimate law enforcement purposes.
• Confirms that fees allocated to the court clerk's fund are spent at the discretion of the clerk to support their office functions.

Who It Names or Affects

• Sheriffs in Alabama who manage and direct spending from the Sheriff's Fund.
• The offices of district attorneys, clerks, and sheriffs that receive allocated court fees.

Terms To Know

Docket Fee

An additional charge assigned to filings in circuit, district, and municipal courts.

Sheriff's Fund

The portion of court fees allocated to the sheriff's office for spending on jail operations or law enforcement purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

• This act becomes effective on October 1, 2026.
• The bill does not list specific examples of what counts as 'law enforcement purposes' beyond the general category.
• The change applies only to funds allocated to the Sheriff's Fund; rules for other funds remain unchanged.

Official Summary Text

Court fees; use of funds allocated to sheriff's office for expenditure further provided

Current Bill Text

HB91 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB91
2JNRHSK-1
By Representative Hill
RFD: Judiciary
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 17-Dec-25
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2JNRHSK-1 11/25/2025 GED (L)ma 2025-3432
Page 1
PFD: 17-Dec-25
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, there is an additional
docket fee assigned in all circuit, district, and
municipal court filings. The fee allocated to the
sheriff's office may only be expended for the operation
of the jail.
This bill would allow the funds allocated to the
sheriff's office to be expended to support the
functions of the office of the sheriff.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to court fees; to amend Section 12-19-312,
Code of Alabama 1975, to allow funds allocated to the
sheriff's office to be expended to support the functions of
his or her office.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 12-19-312, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§12-19-312
(a) The fee allocated to the Solicitor's Fund shall be
expended for the payment of any and all expenses incurred by
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HB91 INTRODUCED
Page 2
expended for the payment of any and all expenses incurred by
the district attorney in the discharge of the duties of the
office or for any legitimate law enforcement purpose.
(b) The fee allocated for the court clerk's fund shall
be expended at the discretion of the clerk , to support the
functions of the office of the clerk.
(c) The fees allocated to the Sheriff's Fund,
administered by the sheriff, shall be expended at the
direction of the sheriff for the operation of the jail to
support the functions of the office of the sheriff for law
enforcement purposes .
(d) The fees allocated to the Alabama Forensic Services
Trust Fund shall be expended for the objective analysis of
scientific evidence in pending criminal investigations."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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