HB733 Summary

• Establishes a drug enforcement fee in all juvenile, traffic, criminal, and quasi-criminal cases in Pickens County courts (juvenile, district, circuit, and municipal) of $20 for non-drug cases, $75 for misdemeanor drug cases, and $100 for felony drug cases.

• Distributes collected fees monthly as follows: $5 retained by court clerk as administrative fee; $10 from municipal court cases to municipal police fund; $10 from circuit/district court cases to Pickens County Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund; remainder to District Attorney's Pickens County Drug Enforcement Fund.

• Requires fees to be collected in all cases where defendant is adjudged guilty, bond forfeited, penalty imposed, or arrest warrant issued, and applies even when defendant is not adjudged guilty as long as court costs are assessed.

• Allows District Attorney for the 24th Judicial Circuit to expend drug enforcement fund monies for drug task force support, including expenses, grant matching funds, personnel salaries, and other law enforcement purposes.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.