This bill proposes significant amendments to Florida Statutes regarding court fees, particularly increasing service charges and filing fees associated with clerks of the circuit court. Notable changes include raising the fee for opening an estate from $230 to $275 and increasing the filing fee for civil actions in circuit court from $395 to $460. Additionally, the bill mandates the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to prepare reports every three years, starting January 1, 2030, to recommend further adjustments to these fees based on the Consumer Price Index. The bill also modifies the language concerning fee payments, changing "shall" to "must" to emphasize the mandatory nature of these fees.

Moreover, the bill revises the distribution of collected fees by removing certain provisions that required clerks to submit portions of these fees to the Department of Revenue for the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund. It introduces a new graduated fee schedule for guardianship estate audits, adjusting maximum fees based on estate value, and allows for waivers of auditing fees for guardians with insufficient funds. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and aims to enhance the financial contributions from court fees to support Florida's judicial system.

Statutes affected:
S 532 Filed: 45.035, 721.83