Bill allowing Tift County Probate Court technology fees advances through Georgia House and Senate

A bill written by State Rep. Jaclyn Ford will enable Tift County Probate Court to implement technology fees for civil filings and fines, with these funds specifically reserved for technology needs in the court, according to the Georgia State House.

The legislation passed both the House and Senate as of Tuesday, Feb. 17, securing a 165-0 vote in the House and a 48-1 margin in the Senate.

Marked as HB941 and introduced on Monday, Jan. 12 in the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, the bill is officially titled: ‘Tift County; Probate Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee.’

The following summary is based on the actual bill text and aims to clarify its key provisions.

Essentially, the bill authorizes Tift County Probate Court to set a technology fee of up to $5 for each civil case filing and a $5 surcharge on each fine, at the probate judge’s discretion. The revenue will be kept in a separate, audited account and solely used for technology upgrades, such as computer equipment, software, imaging, communications, printing, and converting court records to digital formats for public access. The authority to impose this fee concludes on July 1, 2036, after which remaining funds may be redirected for general technology needs in Tift County.

In the House, 73 Democrats and 92 Republicans supported the bill, without opposition.

For the Senate, 19 Democrats and 29 Republicans voted for passage, with one Republican opposing.

The bill also had support from co-sponsor Rep. Angie O’Steen (Republican-169th).

Ford is an alumna of the University of Georgia.

Ford, a Republican, won election to the Georgia State House in 2025 to represent District 170, succeeding former Rep. Penny Houston.

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

In Georgia, the legislative process starts when a legislator, often acting on a constituent’s behalf, collaborates with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After the bill is filed and undergoes its first reading, it moves to a committee for in-depth discussion and review. If reported out, the bill then proceeds to a third reading in the chamber and faces debate and a final vote. Passage in both chambers is required—sometimes through a conference committee if there are differences—after which it is presented to the governor. The governor has six days during session, or 40 days if after adjournment, to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. Each year, the Georgia General Assembly meets for a 40-day session starting on the second Monday in January.

Information for this report was sourced from the Georgia State House. The original data is available here.