SB 1338 — An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in governance of the system, further providing for fee increases and automation fee.

PRINTER'S NO.   1730

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          SENATE BILL
                          No. 1338
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY CULVER, KANE, KEARNEY, COMITTA, J. WARD AND VOGEL,
        MAY 20, 2026

     REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MAY 20, 2026


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
 2      Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in governance of the
 3      system, further providing for fee increases and automation
 4      fee.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.      Section 1725.4(b) of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
 8   Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
 9   § 1725.4.      Fee increases and automation fee.
10      * * *
11      (b)   Automation fee for clerk of courts office.--
12            (1)    In addition to any other fee authorized by law, an
13      automation fee of not more than [$5] $10 may be charged and
14      collected by the clerk of courts of counties of the second
15      class A and the third through eighth class, including home
16      rule counties of the same class, for the initiation of any
17      action or legal proceeding. The automation fee shall be
18      deposited into a special clerk of courts automation fund
19      established in each county. Moneys in the special fund shall
 1    be used solely for the purpose of automation and continued
 2    automation update of the office of the clerk of courts.
 3        (2)   The amount of the automation fee under paragraph (1)
 4    may be increased not more than once every three years,
 5    provided that the amount of the increase may not be greater
 6    than the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for
 7    All Urban Consumers: All Items (CPI-U) for the United States
 8    City Average as published by the United States Department of
 9    Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for the immediate three
10    years preceding an increase in the fee or charge under this
11    subsection.
12    Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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