HB478INTRODUCED
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HB478
ILE8666-1
By Representative Hammett (N & P)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 23-Apr-24
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5 ILE8666-1 02/19/2024 FC (L)ma 2024-205
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First Read: 23-Apr-24
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to Covington County; to provide for a booking
fee to be imposed on each person booked into the Covington
County Detention Center and subsequently convicted of a crime;
to provide for the collection of the booking fee; and to
provide for the distribution of the revenues derived from the
booking fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. In Covington County, a booking fee in the
amount of thirty dollars ($30) shall be assessed against and
collected from each person booked or incarcerated in the
Covington County Detention Center as a county inmate and
subsequently convicted. The fee assessed pursuant to this act
shall be in addition to any fines, court costs, or other
charges imposed. The fee shall not apply to a defendant or
inmate housed in the detention center on behalf of a
municipality.
Section 2. The booking fee imposed by this act shall be
assessed against a defendant upon conviction by a court of law
where the defendant is convicted. The clerk of the court shall
enter the amount of the fee as provided in this act on the
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enter the amount of the fee as provided in this act on the
docket sheet and shall collect the fee in the same manner and
the same time as court costs, except the sheriff may collect
the fee pursuant to Section 5. The clerk of the court shall
notify the sheriff monthly of the booking fees imposed against
defendants during the prior month.
Section 3. The revenues derived from the booking fee
shall be submitted to the Covington County Sheriff's
Department Law Enforcement Fund to be used by the Sheriff of
Covington County for jail operations including, but not
limited to, training fees, salaries, equipment, jail
operational expenses, or other law enforcement uses as
determined by the sheriff to best meet the needs of his or her
agency.
Section 4. In any case where the booking fee provided
by this act is not paid or withheld pursuant to Section 5, the
district attorney of the county may assist in the collection
of the fees in the same manner as court-ordered monies. In
addition, the sheriff may contract for the collection of the
fees and pay a portion of the fees as a cost for collection.
Section 5. Upon receipt of notice of assessment of the
booking fee against a defendant, the sheriff may withhold
funds equal to the amount of the booking fee from any funds
held while a person is incarcerated in the Covington County
Detention Center and those funds may be applied toward any
assessment of a booking fee pursuant to this act. The sheriff
shall provide notice monthly to the clerk of the court of the
booking fees withheld from defendants during the prior month.
Section 6. Any revenues derived from this act shall be
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Section 6. Any revenues derived from this act shall be
in addition to other funding sources for the Covington County
Detention Center and the Covington County Sheriff's Department
and shall not reduce or replace any funding from any other
sources.
Section 7. This act shall become effective on the first
day of the first month following the ratification of an
amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, proposed at
the 2024 Regular Session, authorizing the Legislature to
provide for additional court costs in Covington County and to
provide for the distribution of the proceeds.
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