2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 17.1-279 and 58.1-811 , as it is currently effective and as it may become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to circuit court clerks; fees; Technology Trust Fund Fee; recordation tax of certain deeds; report.
[S 725]
Approved
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 17.1-279 and 58.1-811 , as it is currently effective and as it may become effective, of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 17.1-279 . Additional fee to be assessed by circuit court clerks for information technology.
A. In addition to the fees otherwise authorized by this chapter, the clerk of each circuit court shall assess a $5 fee of $8 , known as the "Technology Trust Fund Fee," in each civil action, upon each instrument to be recorded in the deed books, and upon each judgment to be docketed in the judgment lien docket book. Such fee shall be deposited by the State Treasurer into a trust fund. The State Treasurer shall maintain a record of such deposits.
B. Four Six dollars of every $5 eight-dollar fee shall be allocated by the Compensation Board from the trust fund for the purposes of : (i) developing and updating or funding studies to develop and update individual land records automation plans for individual circuit court clerks' offices; (ii) implementing automation plans to modernize land records in individual circuit court clerks' offices and provide secure remote access to land records throughout the Commonwealth pursuant to § 17.1-294 ; (iii) obtaining and updating office automation and information technology equipment , including software and conversion services; (iv) preserving, maintaining , and enhancing court records, including , but not limited to, the costs of repairs, maintenance, land records, consulting services, service contracts, redaction of social security numbers from land records, and system replacements or upgrades; and (v) improving public access to court records. The Compensation Board in consultation with circuit court clerks and other users of court records shall develop and update policies governing the allocation of funds for these purposes. However, such funds shall not be used for personnel costs within the circuit court clerks' offices. The Compensation Board policies governing the allocation of funds shall require that a clerk submit to the Compensation Board a written certification that the clerk's proposed technology improvements of his land records will provide secure remote access to those land records on or before July 1, 2008.