This bill eliminates the $25 court surcharge that defendants must pay when filing an answer in eviction (forcible entry and detainer) cases. The change removes eviction cases from the list of civil lawsuits where courts can collect this "equal access to courts" fee from responding parties.
The amendment corrects grammar and syntax errors in the bill (changing "proceedings" to "proceeding," removing redundant language about surcharge collection, and fixing a citation reference from "16-2-15 29.2" to "16-2-29.2"), while also clarifying the list of exemptions by reformatting it as a numbered list—making the existing surcharge rules for forcible entry and detainer actions clearer without substantively changing the policy itself.
Signed by the Governor H.J. 480
Delivered to the Governor H.J. 438
Signed by the President S.J. 388
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 417
Senate Do Pass Passed, YEAS 34, NAYS 0. S.J. 340
Judiciary Certified uncontested, placed on consent S.J. 27
Judiciary Certified uncontested, placed on consent S.J. 27
Judiciary Do Pass Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 0. S.J. 27
Judiciary Scheduled for hearing S.J. 1
First read in Senate and referred to Senate Judiciary S.J. 93
House of Representatives Do Pass Passed, YEAS 67, NAYS 0. H.J. 115
Judiciary Certified uncontested, placed on consent H.J. 2
Judiciary Do Pass Passed, YEAS 13, NAYS 0. H.J. 2
Judiciary Scheduled for hearing
First read in House and referred to House Judiciary H.J. 13
Do Pass
Judiciary — Do Pass
Do Pass
Judiciary — Do Pass