Section 37-26-9 - Collection of court education and training costs; deposits; State Court Education Fund; State Prosecutor Education Fund; State Court Constituents Fund; State Court Security Systems Fund; funding of expenses of the funds; deposit of user charges and fees authorized under this section into State General Fund(1) It shall be the duty of the clerk of any court to promptly collect the costs imposed pursuant to the provisions of Section 37-26-3. In all cases the clerk shall monthly deposit all such costs so collected with the State Treasurer either directly or by other appropriate procedures. All such deposits shall be clearly marked for the State Court Education Fund and the State Prosecutor Education Fund. Upon receipt of such deposits, the State Treasurer shall credit seventy-five percent (75%) of any amounts so deposited to the State Court Education Fund created pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, and shall credit the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of any amounts so deposited to the State Prosecutor Education Fund created pursuant to subsection (3) of this section.(2) Such assessments as are collected under Section 99-19-73 shall be deposited in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and designated the "State Court Education Fund." Monies deposited in such fund shall be expended by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning as authorized and appropriated by the Legislature to defray the cost of providing: (i) education and training for the courts of Mississippi and related personnel;(ii) technical assistance for the courts of Mississippi and related personnel; and(iii) current and accurate information for the Mississippi Legislature pertaining to the needs of the courts of Mississippi and related personnel.(3) Such assessments as are collected under Section 99-19-73 shall be deposited in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and designated the "State Prosecutor Education Fund." Monies deposited in such fund shall be expended by the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi as authorized and appropriated by the Legislature to defray the cost of providing: (i) education and training for district attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys and municipal prosecuting attorneys;(ii) technical assistance for district attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys and municipal prosecuting attorneys; and(iii) current and accurate information for the Mississippi Legislature pertaining to the needs of district attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys and municipal prosecuting attorneys.(4) A supplemental fund is hereby created in the State Treasury and designated the State Court Constituents Fund. Monies deposited in such fund shall be for the education and training of judges and related court personnel other than those specified in Section 37-26-1(b). In addition to any other fees or costs now or as may hereafter be provided by law, there is hereby charged in all civil cases in the chancery, circuit, county, justice and municipal courts of this state a supplemental court education and training cost in the amount of Fifty Cents (50¢), except in justice court cases where the amount sued for is less than Fifteen Dollars ($15.00); and in all criminal cases in the circuit, county, justice and municipal courts of this state, except in cases where the fine is less than Ten Dollars ($10.00). Such costs shall be charged and collected as provided by Sections 37-26-3 and 37-26-5. After the transfer to the State Prosecutor Education Fund of twenty-five percent (25%) of the money provided for in subsection (1) of this section, there shall then be transferred into the State Court Education Fund the money on deposit in the State Court Constituents Fund.
(5) A special fund is created in the State Treasury and designated the "State Court Security Systems Fund." Monies deposited in such fund shall be expended for general courtroom security as well as the maintenance and operation of security surveillance and detection devices for the courtrooms of each court of the State of Mississippi specified in Section 37-26-1(2). The Administrative Office of Courts shall conduct a study to assess and determine the security needs of the courts and is authorized to expend monies in the fund for the purposes of the fund as authorized and appropriated by the Legislature.(6) From and after July 1, 2017, the expenses of the State Court Education Fund, the State Prosecutors Education Fund, the State Court Constituents Fund and the State Court Security Systems Fund shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.(7) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.Laws, 1981, ch. 368, § 5; Laws, 1985, ch. 338, § 4; Laws, 1989, ch. 471, § 2; Laws, 1990, ch. 329, § 6; Laws, 1991, ch. 512, § 1; Laws, 1993, ch. 545, § 1, eff. 4/15/1993.Amended by Laws, 2017EX1, ch. 7, SB 2001,§ 19, eff. 6/23/2017.