COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.:0114S.01I Bill No.:SB 18 Subject:Civil Procedure; Courts; Fees; Libraries and Archives; Saint Louis City Type:Original Date:January 22, 2025Bill Summary:This proposal allows the circuit court of St. Louis City to collect a civil case
filing fee of an amount not to exceed $20, rather than $15, for certain uses,
including the maintenance of a law library.
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUNDFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on General
Revenue $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON OTHER STATE FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on Other State
Funds $0$0$0
Numbers within parentheses: () indicate costs or losses. L.R. No. 0114S.01I
Bill No. SB 18
Page 2 of
January 22, 2025
HWC:LR:OD
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on All Federal
Funds $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)FUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on FTE 000
☐ Estimated Net Effect (expenditures or reduced revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any
of the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
☐ Estimated Net Effect (savings or increased revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any of
the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Local GovernmentUp to $130,117 Up to $156,140 Up to $156,140 L.R. No. 0114S.01I
Bill No. SB 18
Page 3 of
January 22, 2025
HWC:LR:OD
FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
§488.426 – St. Louis City Circuit Court Civil Case Filing Fee
Officials from the Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) state the proposed
legislation allows the circuit court in St. Louis City to collect a fee not to exceed twenty dollars,
rather than fifteen, to go toward the law library.
During the past five years there was an average of 11,031 circuit civil case filings, 5,021
domestic relations civil case filings and 15,176 associate civil and small claims civil case filings
for a total of 31,228 case filings.
Based upon the increase in the collection fee not to exceed $20.00, rather than $15.00, to go
toward the library, OSCA estimates the increase to be $0 to $156,140 ($5 x 31,228).
Officials from the Office of Administration - Budget and Planning state this section appears to
alter the scope of circuits to which certain surcharge authorizations apply, potentially impacting
TSR.
Oversight assumes fees collected would go directly to the St. Louis City Circuit Court and will
present a positive fiscal impact of $0 to $156,140 ($5 x 31,228) annually. Oversight also assumes
the provisions of this section will not create a material fiscal impact to local political
subdivisions other than St. Louis City Circuit Court.
Oversight only reflects the responses received from state agencies and political subdivisions;
however, various St. Louis City officials were requested to respond to this proposed legislation
but did not. A listing of political subdivisions included in the Missouri Legislative Information
System (MOLIS) database is available upon request.
FISCAL IMPACT – State GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028$0$0$0 L.R. No. 0114S.01I
Bill No. SB 18
Page 4 of
January 22, 2025
HWC:LR:OD
FISCAL IMPACT – Local GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028LOCAL POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS
Revenue – St. Louis City Circuit
(§488.426) - increase in fees for law
library Up to $130,117 Up to $156,140 Up to $156,140
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
LOCAL POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONSUp to $130,117 Up to $156,140 Up to $156,140
FISCAL IMPACT – Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.
FISCAL DESCRIPTION
Currently, any circuit court may collect a civil case filing surcharge of an amount not to exceed
$15 for the maintenance of a law library, the county's or circuit's family services and justice
fund, or courtroom renovation and technology enhancement. If the circuit court reimburses the
state for salaries of family court commissioners or is the circuit court in Jackson County, the
surcharge may be up to $20. This act provides that the circuit court in the City of St. Louis may
charge a filing surcharge up to $20. (§488.426)
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not
require additional capital improvements or rental space. L.R. No. 0114S.01I
Bill No. SB 18
Page 5 of
January 22, 2025
HWC:LR:OD
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Office of Administration - Budget and Planning
Office of the State Courts Administrator
Julie MorffJessica HarrisDirectorAssistant DirectorJanuary 22, 2025January 22, 2025