Madison County court technology fee bill from Rep. Leverett clears both chambers and is signed into law

A measure sponsored by Rep. Rob Leverett permitting the Madison County Magistrate Court to assess technology fees for court-related needs has won approval from both legislative chambers, according to the Georgia State House.

The legislation passed the House 165-1 and the Senate 48-0, with votes taking place as of Thursday, Feb. 26.

Filed as HB1083 on Thursday, Jan. 29 during the 2026 session of the 158th General Assembly, the bill is formally titled: ‘Madison County; Magistrate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee.’

Below is a summarized explanation, referencing the actual bill text, intended to clarify key details.

The bill allows the Madison County Magistrate Court clerk to collect a technology fee of up to $10 per civil case filing, as well as a surcharge of up to $10 on each fine. Fees must be deposited in a separate account and used exclusively for court technology upgrades, such as computer hardware and software, imaging and scanning equipment, communication and printing devices, and the digital conversion of court records for public accessibility. Permission to collect fees expires July 1, 2031. Afterward, remaining funds are dedicated to general Madison County technology. Implementation begins July 1, 2026, conditional on passage of related court fee legislation; otherwise, the act is repealed on that date.

Inside the House, support included 72 Democrats and 93 Republicans, with one Republican casting the only opposing vote.

The Senate tallied 19 Democratic and 29 Republican ‘yes’ votes, with no opposing votes recorded.

The bill also lists Rep. Alan Powell (Republican-33rd) as a co-sponsor.

Rep. Leverett earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1986 and later obtained his law degree from the University of Georgia.

A Republican, Leverett began serving in Georgia’s 123rd House District in 2023, following the tenure of Mark Newton.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on Monday, May 11.

The legislative process in Georgia involves a lawmaker drafting a bill—often in response to constituent needs—in consultation with the Office of Legislative Counsel. Following filing, the bill gets a first reading and is assigned to a committee for debate and research. Upon securing committee approval, the measure proceeds to the floor for its third reading, debate, and a vote. A bill must clear both chambers, potentially via a conference committee for amendments, and is then sent to the governor, who has six days during session or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die) to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. Each regular session of the Georgia General Assembly spans 40 days beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was sourced from the Georgia State House. Further documentation is available here.