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

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Hill (J)
Last action: 2026-02-25
Official status: Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how funds must be used lawfully, so this claim was removed.

Court Fees and Sheriff's Fund Use

This bill changes how money from court fees can be used by the sheriff's office, allowing it to support more functions of the office beyond just jail operations.

What This Bill Does

Changes a law about how money collected as part of court fees is spent.
Allows the sheriff to use funds for more than just running jails; they can now cover other duties too.

Who It Names or Affects

Courts and judges who collect court fees
Sheriffs and their offices

Terms To Know

Solicitor's Fund: Money collected from court fees that goes to help district attorneys with expenses.
Court clerk's fund: Money used by the person who manages court records and paperwork.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money can be spent on different parts of the sheriff’s duties.
It is unclear what specific new functions beyond jail operations will now qualify for funding from these fees.

Bill History

2026-02-25 Senate
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-25 Senate
Reported Out of Committee Second House
2026-02-05 Senate
Pending Committee Action in Second House
2026-02-05 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation General Fund
2026-02-03 House
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 246 (Yeas 99, Nays 1)
2026-02-03 House
Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 99, Nays 2)
2026-01-14 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-01-14 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-01-13 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-13 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

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

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored 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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