Florida Senate - 2026                                    SB 1612
       
       
        
       By Senator DiCeglie
       
       
       
       
       
       18-01232-26                                           20261612__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to electronic payments to local
    3         governments; amending s. 215.322, F.S.; revising
    4         legislative intent; requiring each unit of local
    5         government to accept electronic payment online for
    6         payments received by and financial obligations owed to
    7         the unit of local government; providing an effective
    8         date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (5) of section 215.322,
   13  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   14         215.322 Acceptance of credit cards, charge cards, debit
   15  cards, or electronic funds transfers by state agencies, units of
   16  local government, and the judicial branch.—
   17         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage state
   18  agencies and, the judicial branch, and require units of local
   19  government, to make their goods, services, and information more
   20  convenient to the public through the acceptance of payments by
   21  credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, or other means of
   22  electronic funds transfers to the maximum extent practicable
   23  when the benefits to the participating agency and the public
   24  substantiate the cost of accepting these types of payments.
   25         (5) Each A unit of local government, including a
   26  municipality, special district, or board of county commissioners
   27  or other governing body of a county, a consolidated or
   28  metropolitan government, and any clerk of the circuit court,
   29  sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, or supervisor of
   30  elections and each department, subagency, and division of such
   31  units of local government, shall, is authorized to accept
   32  electronic payment online by use of credit cards, charge cards,
   33  bank debit cards, and electronic funds transfers for payments
   34  received by and financial obligations that are owing to such
   35  unit of local government and to surcharge the person who uses a
   36  credit card, a charge card, a bank debit card, or an electronic
   37  funds transfer in payment of taxes, license fees, tuition,
   38  fines, civil penalties, court-ordered payments, or court costs,
   39  or other statutorily prescribed revenues an amount sufficient to
   40  pay the service fee charges by the financial institution,
   41  vending service company, or credit card company for such
   42  services. Such A unit of local government shall verify both the
   43  validity of any credit card, charge card, bank debit card, or
   44  electronic funds transfer used pursuant to this subsection and
   45  the existence of appropriate credit with respect to the person
   46  using the card or transfer. The unit of local government does
   47  not incur any liability as a result of such verification or any
   48  subsequent action taken.
   49         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.