Bill Text: VA SB855 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Courthouse assessments; localities to raise fee assessed for courthouse construction, etc.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-17 - Senate: Stricken at the request of Patron in Courts of Justice (11-Y 0-N) [SB855 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2011-SB855-Introduced.html
11101696D Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That § 17.1-281 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 17.1-281. Assessment for courthouse construction, renovation or maintenance. A. Any county or city, through its governing body, may assess
a sum that prior to July 1, 2012, shall not be in
excess of If a town provides court facilities for a county, the governing body of the county shall return to the town a portion of the assessments collected based on the number of civil, criminal and traffic cases originating and heard in the town. B. The imposition of such assessment shall be by ordinance of the governing body which may provide for different sums in circuit courts and district courts. The assessment shall be collected by the clerk of the court in which the action is filed, remitted to the treasurer of the appropriate county or city and held by such treasurer subject to disbursements by the governing body for the construction, renovation, or maintenance of courthouse or jail and court-related facilities and to defray increases in the cost of heating, cooling, electricity, and ordinary maintenance. C. Any county or city which, on or after January 1, 2008,
operated a courthouse not in compliance with the current safety and security
guidelines contained in the Virginia Courthouse Facility Guidelines, as
certified by the Department of General Services upon application to the
Department by the county or city, and which cannot be feasibly renovated to
correct such non-compliance, through its governing body, may assess an
additional sum not in excess of D. The imposition of such assessment shall be by ordinance of the governing body, which may provide for different sums in circuit courts and district courts. The assessment shall be collected by the clerk of the court in which the action is filed, remitted to the treasurer of the appropriate county or city, and held by such treasurer subject to disbursements by the governing body solely for the construction, reconstruction, renovation of, or adaptive re-use of a structure for a courthouse. E. The assessments provided for herein shall be in addition to any other fees prescribed by law. The assessments shall be required in each felony, misdemeanor, or traffic infraction case, regardless of the existence of a local ordinance requiring their payment. |