The bill CS/HB 759 proposes significant amendments to Florida statutes concerning court fees, particularly focusing on increasing service charges and filing fees across various judicial processes. Key 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 introduces a new requirement for the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to prepare a report 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 fee structure for judicial sales, timeshare foreclosure actions, and guardianship financial returns, with specific increases in service charges and filing fees.

Moreover, the bill deletes provisions that required clerks to submit portions of collected fees to the Department of Revenue for the Clerks of the Court Trust Fund, instead revising the distribution formula for additional filing fees. It emphasizes the mandatory nature of fee payments by changing "shall" to "must" in several instances and specifies that postal charges for certified or registered mail services must be covered by the requesting party. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the fee structure while ensuring adequate funding for court operations and aligning fees with current economic conditions. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 759 Filed: 45.035, 721.83
H 759 c1: 45.035, 721.83