SB 547

Upon approval by a two-thirds vote of the county legislative body, this bill requires the clerk of every court having jurisdiction over state misdemeanors and felonies to charge an additional $12.50 in every misdemeanor and felony cost bill. However, this bill does not apply to nonmoving traffic violations. Additionally, in misdemeanor and felony prosecutions in which restitution is ordered or the privilege tax for the criminal injuries compensation is also levied, the cost imposed by this bill does not have priority over collection of that restitution or privilege tax. REMITTANCE OF FUNDS For the counties of Sullivan, Blount, Knox, Anderson, Hamilton, Coffee, Sumner, Davidson, Williamson, and Shelby, the funds acquired from this bill must be remit ted to the county government. All other counties are a part of a multiple county judicial district and the funds for these counties must be remitted to the office of the executive director of the district attorneys general conference for the purpose of p r oviding additional funding for the office of the district attorney within that judicial district. Any unencumbered moneys and any unexpended balance of such funds remaining at the end of a fiscal year do not revert to the state general fund but must be ca rried forward for the purpose for which they were originally intended. USAGE OF FUNDS This bill requires all costs collected under this bill by a county government to be used to provide support services for promoting public safety at the discretion of t he district attorney general for that county's respective judicial district. The funds of the district attorney general system may be supplemented by the county to promote public safety. Additionally, the costs collected under this bill are supplemental and in addition to any funds that are received under provisions present law. REPORTING This bill requires d istrict attorney genera ls who receiv e or direct funding pursuant to this bill to submit a report to the district attorneys general conference no later than January 1 of each year detailing the amount of costs charged and collected and the purposes for which the funds were used in the year immediately preceding such date. The district attorneys general conference must provide a corresponding report no later than February 15 of each year to certain legislative committees providing such information in aggregate and by district.