Sen. Goodman’s SB316 clears Georgia Legislature, authorizes technology fee for Clinch County probate court

The bill, authored by State Sen. Russ Goodman, allows Clinch County Probate Court to impose a technology fee in order to fund technology upgrades, following approval by both the House and Senate, according to the Georgia State Senate.

As of Friday, Feb. 6, the measure passed both chambers, with a 165-0 vote in the House and a 43-1 vote in the Senate.

Introduced as SB316 on Friday, Feb. 28 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, the bill’s official description is: ’Probate Court of Clinch County; assessment and collection of a technology fee; authorize’.

Below is an analysis based on the actual bill text, which clarifies its main features.

The bill grants Clinch County the authority to pass a resolution allowing the Probate Court to collect a technology fee of up to $5 per civil case, estate, fine, conviction, and affidavit filed—excluding affidavits of indigency. The fee applies once per party per proceeding and is allocated for the court’s technology needs, such as buying computer hardware and software, leasing equipment, ongoing maintenance, installation, and converting court records to digital formats for public access. Funds will be kept in a separate account—potentially combined with Magistrate Court technology funds—and subject to yearly audits by the county’s governing body. Any conflicting laws are repealed.

Within the Senate, 17 Democrats and 26 Republicans supported the bill, with one Republican voting against it.

In the House, 73 Democrats and 92 Republicans voted in favor, with zero dissenting votes.

Rep. John Corbett (Republican-174th) served as a co-sponsor.

Goodman earned his BS from the University of Georgia.

Goodman, a Republican, was elected in 2021 to represent Georgia’s 8th Senate District, taking over from Ellis Black.

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

In Georgia, the legislative process requires lawmakers to collaborate with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft new laws, frequently at constituent request. Bills are filed with either the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, read for the first time, and referred to committee for detailed review. Successfully reported bills move forward for further reading, floor debate, and a vote. Passage through both chambers is necessary, and if versions differ, a conference committee may reconcile them before the bill heads to the governor. The governor has six days during the session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The General Assembly convenes every year for 40 days starting the second Monday of January.

Information in this article was sourced from the Georgia State Senate. The original data is available here.