HB650 Summary

• Assesses a solicitor's fee in all juvenile, traffic, criminal, and quasi-criminal cases in Etowah County courts equal to docket fees assessed upon adjudication of guilt, with $3 per case going to the Etowah County Law Library Fund and the remainder to the Solicitor's Fund or District Attorney's Fund.

• Imposes an additional $7 court cost fee per case, distributing $2 to the Office of Sheriff of Etowah County and $5 to either the Circuit Clerk or municipal clerk depending on case jurisdiction.

• Requires fees to be collected in all criminal cases where a defendant is adjudged guilty, a bond is forfeited, a penalty is imposed, or an arrest warrant is issued, and prohibits waiver except upon defendant's proof of inability to pay.

• Authorizes the district attorney to expend solicitor's fees for office expenses and law enforcement purposes, the sheriff to use allocated funds for courthouse security, and clerks to use allocated funds for office operations.

• Effective upon passage and approval by the Governor, conditioned on ratification of a constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to fix court costs in Etowah County by local law.