Committee advances bill raising clerk reimbursement rate and reallocating some traffic-fee revenue

Representative Trabulci presented CS for HB 925 to the Judiciary Committee, saying the measure increases the statutory reimbursement rate for unfunded petitions to $195 and alters the distribution of some civil-traffic fees so municipalities and clerks split certain proceeds equally.

"The Florida Clerk of Courts and Comptrollers have nearly 1,000 statutory responsibilities," Trabulci said, arguing the offices "depend highly on a fee-based structure." She told members the bill would set the unfunded-petition reimbursement at $195 and allocate 28.2% of certain civil-traffic fees to clerks and an equal 28.2% to municipalities.

Representative Maney raised concerns during debate about the revenue change, saying it could be "fiscally imprudent" for cities that rely on their share of traffic fines for municipal services. Trabulci responded that her outreach to cities and the League of Cities produced a statewide estimate of lost revenue that ranged from $8 million to $33 million and that the fiscal analysis used $8 million; she said clerks face a $75 million funding shortfall statewide.

The committee took no amendments and voted to report CS for HB 925 favorably, with the clerk recording 15 yeas and 0 nays. The bill now moves to the next floor step for further consideration.