Georgia Senate bill by author Sen. Parent to allow Decatur court technology fee passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Elena Parent aims to allow the Decatur municipal court to add a technology fee to fines, following approval in both chambers, according to the Georgia State Senate.

It passed both chambers as of Thursday, April 2, clearing the House by a vote of 110-63 and the Senate by a vote of 48-1.

The bill, introduced as SB618 on Wednesday, March 4 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Municipal Court of the City of Decatur; the assessment and collection of a technology fee; authorize’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill authorizes the clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Decatur to add a technology fee of up to $15 as a surcharge on each criminal and quasi-criminal fine, with the judge allowed to waive the fee case by case. The fee must be used only for technology needs of the court and city police department, including purchasing, leasing, installing and maintaining computer hardware and software; imaging, scanning, fax, communication, projection and printing equipment; and police hardware and software such as cameras, drones and emergency response systems. The funds must be kept in a segregated account and may be used to reimburse the city’s information technology department.

In the Senate, 18 Democrats and 30 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while one Republican opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the House, 13 Democrats and 97 Republicans voted in favor, while 63 Democrats voted against it.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (Democrat-84th).

Parent graduated from the University of Virginia in 1998 with a BA and again in 2002 from University of Virginia with a JD.

Parent, a Democrat, was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2025 to represent the state’s 44th Senate District, replacing previous state senator Brian Strickland.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday, May 11.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then 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. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State Senate. The source data can be found here.