AB 1524: Courts: fees.

The bill aims to reform court fees and record accessibility. It would prohibit courts from charging fees that exceed the cost of providing the service or product, requiring approval from the judicial council. The judicial council would need to report on fees collected by superior courts that exceed costs by December 1, 2027. The bill would also require court records maintained in electronic form to be viewable at the court and available for duplication at a reasonable cost. Members of the public would be allowed to view or duplicate records without fees, unless it would cause damage or unauthorized access. Courts could impose reasonable limits on the use of the requester's equipment to protect records and prevent excessive copying.