LouisianaEast Baton Rouge juvenile court collects fees and audits its expense fund
People filing cases may owe a court-set fee, while the judges jointly control the fund and arrange an annual public audit.
What it does
The clerk collects a court-set fee from people who file cases or other requests in East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court, unless they are exempt from court costs. Certain defendants in criminal nonsupport cases may also owe up to $10.
The judges sitting together control the court’s expense fund and arrange an audit each year. They file the audit with the legislative auditor for public inspection.
The judges may use the fund for court reporters, staff, and other needs tied to running the court. The fund cannot pay a judge’s salary.
Argument forAn annual public audit could help people see how the court’s expense fund is handled.
Argument againstPeople who file court papers could face a fee, and defendants in certain criminal nonsupport cases may owe another cost.
More detail
The clerk collects fees for certain court filings and criminal nonsupport cases. The filing fee covers cases, suits, motions, and requests for a court order filed in the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court. The criminal cost covers nonsupport cases within that court’s jurisdiction, including contempt cases. People exempt from court costs do not pay the filing fee. The filing fee amount is set by the chief judge with the judges sitting together; the text does not clearly show its maximum. In criminal nonsupport cases, a cost of up to $10 applies to a defendant convicted after trial or a guilty plea, or who forfeits bond. The filing fee applies when a covered person files a case or request. The criminal cost applies after a covered conviction or bond forfeiture.
The judges sitting together control the court’s expense fund and arrange an annual audit. The fund holds money collected or received under this section for the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court. The judges file a copy of the audit with the legislative auditor, where the public can inspect it. The judges arrange an audit each year; no start date is stated.
The judges may use the fund for court reporters, staff, a law library, equipment, supplies, and other needs tied to running the court. These uses relate to the Juvenile Court or the offices of its judges. The fund cannot pay a judge’s salary. No start or end date is stated.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 23Becomes Act No. 928 without the Governor's signature.Latest
- Jun 23Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- May 28Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 27Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 27Signed by the President of the Senate.
- May 26Read by title, roll called, yeas 93, nays 4. The Senate amendments, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, were concurred in.
- Vote recorded CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1487). Result: pass.Lower
- May 25Scheduled for concurrence on 05/26/2026.
- May 20Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 19Reconsidered. Read by title; returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1020). Result: pass.Upper
- May 19Rules suspended. Called from the Calendar.
- May 19Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 1 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- May 18Rules suspended.
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#922). Result: fail.Upper
- May 18Read by title. Failed to pass by a vote of 17 yeas and 18 nays.
- May 18Notice of reconsideration on the next legislative day.
- May 7Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 6Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 5Rules suspended. Reported favorably.Minor
- Apr 20Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary A.Minor
- Apr 15Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 83, nays 12. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#538). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 14Scheduled for floor debate on 04/15/2026.
- Apr 13Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 9Reported favorably (10-0).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 26Prefiled.Minor
- Feb 26Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Introduced
Criminal JusticeGovernment & Ethics