Bills / S.B. 283
S.B. 283 Court Fees and Administration Amendments
- Introduced
- Senate committee
- Senate vote
- House committee
- House vote
- Signed into law
What this bill does
The bill waives civil court document filing fees for the state and its political subdivisions, and raises the Online Court Assistance Program filing surcharge from $20 to $60. It also removes obsolete court provisions, requires the courts administrator to use court security account funds for security services at courts of record, and exempts protective order filings from the surcharge.
Plain-English summary written by AI from the sponsor’s presentation in committee and on the floor. Check the official text below.
Official description
- defines terms
- removes obsolete provisions:
- allowing a sheriff to appoint a law school graduate as a bailiff
- requiring the Judicial Council to create a fine schedule for juvenile courts
- relating to the use of revenue from court fees to fund court building projects
- updates terminology
- provides that all civil document fees for justice courts and courts of record are provided at no charge to the state, state agencies, or political subdivisions
- increases certain court fees
- requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to use appropriated funds from the Court Security Account to contract for court security at all courts of record
- provides that a request for a protective order does not have a filing fee surcharge under the Online Court Assistance Program
- makes technical and conforming changes
What it costs you
- The official fiscal note on residents and businesses:
Certain individuals could pay more as a result of this bill beginning in FY 2027, the breakdown is as follows: 1. About 5,750 filers through the Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP) could pay $40 more, or $230,000 in aggregate; and 2. About 166,000 certain petitioners and other court filers could pay between $15-25 more in certain cases, or $3,360,000 in total.
From the bill's latest official fiscal note, counting the state's tax funds (General, Income Tax, Education, Uniform School, and Transportation) in the first full budget year after the session. Some bills take effect partway through that year, so later years can be larger; the note shows each year. Household count: U.S. Census Bureau. An average is a starting point, not your bill.
Your legislators on this bill
Enter your address to see what your own representative and senator did on this bill.
Quotes come from the official recordings' automatic captions, which can mishear words. Speakers and summaries are identified by AI and can be wrong. Use the ▶ links to check the recording.
Take action
This bill's session is over, but your legislators still want to hear from you. Ideas that died often come back next year.
Enter your address to get your legislators' contact information and a ready-to-send message about this bill.
Every vote
- 6 yes, 0 no, 3 absentSenate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 12, 2026Who voted how
- 23 yes, 0 no, 6 absentFirst of two Senate votes · Feb 24, 2026Who voted how
- 22 yes, 0 no, 7 absentFinal Senate vote · Feb 25, 2026Who voted how
- 9 yes, 0 no, 2 absentHouse Judiciary Committee: vote to change the bill · Mar 3, 2026Who voted how
- 9 yes, 0 no, 2 absentHouse Judiciary Committee: vote to approve it · Mar 3, 2026Who voted how
- 66 yes, 0 no, 9 absentFinal House vote · Mar 6, 2026Who voted how
- 23 yes, 0 no, 6 absentSenate vote to accept the other chamber's changes · Mar 6, 2026Who voted how
Hearings and debates
- Feb 12, 2026 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee▶ WatchRead the transcript (7 turns) →
- Feb 24, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ WatchRead the transcript (9 turns) →
- Feb 25, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ WatchRead the transcript (8 turns) →
- Mar 3, 2026 House Judiciary Committee▶ WatchRead the transcript (16 turns) →
- Mar 6, 2026 House floor debate▶ WatchRead the transcript (8 turns) →