(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only in Calhoun County. The purpose of this section is to facilitate the use of public records in property transactions in Calhoun County by providing for the installation of an improved system of indexing of instruments and documents affecting the title to real and personal property that are recorded in the office of the judge of probate and for the indexing of other instruments, documents, and other uses in the discretion of the judge of probate.

(b) The following words and phrases, including plural of any thereof, whenever used in this section, shall have the following respective meanings:

(1) "Real property instrument" means and includes any instrument or document affecting the title to real property that may now or hereafter be filed for record in the probate office pursuant to the applicable requirements of the laws of this state, including but without limitation to Section 12-13-43, and all statutes providing for the filing and recording of notices or statements of liens of any kind, notices of judgment, and plats or maps showing subdivisions of real estate.

(2) "General property instrument" means a real property instrument that affects the title to personal property as well as real property.

(3) "Personal property instrument" means any instrument or document affecting the title to personal property only (as distinguished from real property) that may be now or hereafter titled for record in the probate office, in accordance with the applicable requirements of the law of this state, including and particularly Sections 35-4-50 and 35-4-90.

(4) "Improved indexing system" means a system of indexing real property instruments and personal property instruments in the probate office, and in the discretion of the judge of probate, of indexing other instruments and documents, which system when completed, will consist of equipment necessary and suitable to prepare and index records.

(c) The judge of probate is hereby authorized to provide for the installation and thereafter for the maintenance of an improved indexing system in the probate offices of the county. The initial installation of the improved indexing system shall include the following:

(1) The acquisition of the equipment provided for in the definition hereinabove set forth of an improved indexing system;

(2) The establishment of procedures for the continued indexing and filing of all instruments and records that will, after the effective installation date, constitute a part of the improved indexing system;

(3) The initial installation of the improved indexing system shall be performed by a person or persons, firm, or corporation engaged in records management business and experienced in setting up county records; and such initial installation shall be supervised and inspected by a person who is experienced in handling records pertaining to abstracts and title. Following its installation in the county, the improved indexing system shall be thereafter maintained in the county and all real property instruments, general property instruments, and personal property instruments and other documents and records herein provided to constitute a part of the system, that may be thereafter filed for record in the probate office of the county shall be in accordance with the aforesaid improved indexing system. Each real property instrument and each personal property instrument shall be operative as a record from the time of its delivery to the judge of probate of the county, in accordance with the provisions of existing law, including particularly Section 12-13-43.

(d) Following the effective installation date, real property instruments, personal property instruments, and other documents and records provided herein to be indexed with computer-generated indexes to be filed in binders, shall constitute the official record of such instruments for the purpose of Section 12-13-43.

(e) All provisions of the laws of Alabama with respect to the recording of real property instruments, personal property instruments, general property instruments, miscellaneous instruments, and other instruments and records that may constitute part of an improved indexing system installed hereunder (including without limitation to the provisions of Section 12-13-43 and the provisions of all statutes respecting the filing and recording of notices or statements of liens of any kind, notices of Lis Pendens, declarations of claims or exemption, certificates of judgment, or plats or maps showing subdivisions of real estate) that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall continue in effect with respect to an improved indexing system installed hereunder, the recording of the instruments therein, and the duties of the judge of probate with respect thereto.

(f) Thirty days after May 21, 1996, a special indexing fee of three dollars ($3) shall be paid to the county, and collected by the judge of probate with respect to each real property instrument and each personal property instrument that may be filed for record in the office of the judge of probate and for the indexing of other instruments and documents in the probate office, in the discretion of the judge of probate in the county, and, on and after such date, no instrument may be received for record in the office of the judge of probate unless the special indexing fee shall be paid. The special indexing fee shall be in addition to all other fees, taxes, and charges required by law to be paid upon the filing for record of any real property instrument or personal property instrument and for the indexing of other instruments and documents in the probate office in the discretion of the judge of probate in the county. All special indexing fees collected shall be deposited by the judge of probate to any bank in Calhoun County and spent by the judge of probate for the improvement of the services of the office of the Judge of Probate of Calhoun County.

(g) The fees collected under the provisions of this section shall be controlled by the sole discretion of the judge of probate and shall be audited by the Examiners of Public Accounts. The expenditures shall be open to the public on a continuous basis.