McDonough, City of; Municipal Court; authorize assessment and collection of a technology fee

New technology fee for McDonough court fines

McDonough Municipal Court can add a technology fee to criminal and similar fines paid to the court. The judge sets the fee, capped at $15 per conviction, no-contest plea, or final case decision. It is added to other legally allowed fines and fees. The court cannot charge it when a case is dismissed or prosecutors drop it. The city’s finance officer and court clerk must keep the money in a separate city account. Spending requires direction from the mayor or city administrator and must support approved court or public-safety technology. Allowed uses include computers, equipment, software subscriptions, evidence systems, cameras, automated license plate readers, and drones. The money can also support other technology the city considers necessary for court operations or public safety. It can reimburse the city’s information technology department for services provided to the court or public-safety operations.