HCS SB 404 -- COURT COSTS

SPONSOR:  Koster (Byrd)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Judiciary by a vote of 12 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding court costs.  No court
in Missouri that is authorized to collect court costs will be
required to collect any court costs or refund any overpayments of
less than $5.  The substitute removes the January 1, 2001,
deadline for a municipality or county to enact an ordinance to
impose a domestic violence shelter surcharge on marriage licenses
and civil cases filed in a circuit court.  For any county or city
with a domestic violence shelter or whose residents are in a
shelter located in another county, the shelter surcharge may be
assessed in any criminal case, including violations of any county
or municipal ordinance.  The substitute allows a circuit court to
contract with a private entity operated by a public entity to
collect past-due court costs, penalties, and fines.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of Unknown
in FY 2006, FY 2007, and FY 2008.  Estimated Cost on Other State
Funds of Unknown in FY 2006, FY 2007, and FY 2008.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill clarifies the
collection of court costs and allows for the expansion of
collecting court costs to fund domestic violence prevention
programs and regional centers.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Koster; and Missouri
Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Amy Woods, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:21 pm