LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 7064 NOTE PREPARED: Apr 8, 2025
BILL NUMBER: HB 1478 BILL AMENDED:
SUBJECT: Pro Bono Legal Services Fee.
FIRST AUTHOR: Rep. Zimmerman BILL STATUS: Enrolled
FIRST SPONSOR: Sen. Koch
FUNDS AFFECTED: GENERAL IMPACT: State & Local
XDEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: This bill removes the sunset provision for pro bono legal services fees.
Effective Date: July 1, 2025.
Explanation of State Expenditures:
Explanation of State Revenues: The courts will continue to collect this fee from persons who pay a civil
filing fee, a probate fee, or a small claims filing fee. [Current law provides that this fee will not be collected
beginning in FY 2026.]
Clerks of circuit courts, city and town courts, small claims courts, and township courts collect this fee and
forward it to the State Comptroller. The Comptroller’s office then transfers the revenue to the Indiana Bar
Foundation, which administers the proceeds to assist or establish approved pro bono legal services programs.
The revenue that has been collected from this fee since CY 2018 is shown in the following table.
Fee Revenue Collected by Calendar Year
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
$366,804$335,867$218,244$279,248$275,504$307,752
Explanation of Local Expenditures:
Explanation of Local Revenues: See Explanation of State Revenues.
State Agencies Affected: State Comptroller.
Local Agencies Affected: Clerks of circuit, city and town, small claims, and township small claims courts.
HB 1478 1 Information Sources: Indiana Supreme Court, Judicial Services Report, CY 2018 - CY 2023,
https://www.in.gov/courts/iocs/statistics/trial-probation/.
Fiscal Analyst: Corrin Harvey, 317-234-9438.
HB 1478 2