(a) In Elmore County, a special recording fee of three dollars ($3) shall be collected by the office of the judge of probate on each real or personal property, Uniform Commercial Code, judicial, or other instrument recorded or filed for record. The special recording fees shall be in addition to all other fees, taxes, and other charges required by law to be paid upon the recording or filing for record of any real or personal property, Uniform Commercial Code, judicial, or other instrument. All fees collected shall be deposited by the judge of probate in any depository in the county as designated by the county governing body.

(b) The fees collected under this section shall be expended at the discretion of the judge of probate with the approval of the county commission for the preservation and restoration of court records and documents and to develop, purchase, install, upgrade, and maintain a computerized system for recording, indexing, imaging, and storing of real and personal property records, Uniform Commercial Code filings, judicial proceedings, financial accounts, and any other records required to be maintained by the office of the judge of probate and the probate court.

(c) The judge of probate may retain all or parts of court records for archival purposes utilizing optical disks, or other acceptable computerized methods for records storage, or any combination thereof. The use of microfilm to retain and archive court records in the county may be discontinued and replaced with digitized or scanned images of records committed to optic disks, or the like. Records archived and retained on optic disks, or the like, shall constitute official records of the office of the judge of probate and of the probate court and may be compiled and certified and sold to the public in accordance with applicable statutes. All funds collected for copies and certifications shall be paid to the county general fund.

(d) The judge of probate from time to time shall establish a policy on the sale of or access to computerized index information and digitized images maintained in the office of the judge of probate and in the probate court. All funds received from the sale of the information and images shall be paid to the county general fund and expended at the discretion of the judge of probate for acquiring and maintaining equipment, improving the efficiency of the operations of the office, supplementing salaries, and acquiring and maintaining office space.

(e) This section is cumulative. Nothing contained in this section shall alter or change an existing law relating to charges and fees to be collected by the Judge of Probate of Elmore County.