Chapter 2.5. Medium Of Payment of California Government Code >> Division 7. >> Title 1. >> Chapter 2.5.

Any officer of a county who is not specifically authorized by statute so to do may be authorized by the board of supervisors of the county to accept negotiable paper in payment for any license, permit, or fee, in payment of any other obligation owing to such county, or in payment of any trust deposit. Such authorization may be withdrawn at any time by the board of supervisors and may be given under such conditions as the board of supervisors by resolution shall establish. Any officer so authorized may, at his discretion, accept negotiable paper in payment for any license, permit, or fee, in payment of any other obligation owing to such county, or in payment of any trust deposit.

As used in this chapter, "negotiable paper" means bank checks and drafts and express and post-office money orders.

Any local officer, office, agency or unit which collects or receives taxes, fees, charges or any funds for public services may, when payment is acceptable in the form of a negotiable instrument, be paid by check, draft or money order payable to the office, agency, board or unit without including the name or names of the officer or persons then occupying the office.

The acceptance of negotiable paper pursuant to this chapter constitutes payment of any amount owing to a county as of the date of acceptance when, but not before, the negotiable paper is duly paid.

(a) If, pursuant to another provision of law, a bank account has been authorized for the use of the officer, he shall deposit in that account as soon as practicable any negotiable paper accepted by him pursuant to this chapter.
  (b) If a bank account has not been authorized for the use of such officer, he shall deposit negotiable paper accepted pursuant to this chapter as soon as practicable in the county treasury, and the county treasurer shall handle such negotiable paper like any other negotiable paper accepted by him.

Any negotiable paper redeemed by or charged back to the county treasurer by reason of nonpayment shall be returned to the officer who deposited it with him. Upon notification from the county treasurer a memorandum charging the officer who made the deposit and crediting the county treasurer shall be issued by the county auditor on the fund into which the original deposit was made.

If any negotiable paper is not paid on due presentment for any reason, any record of payment made by the officer receiving such paper shall be canceled. Any receipt issued in acknowledgment of such payment shall also be deemed to be canceled. The license fee, permit fee, fine or other obligation shall continue as an outstanding obligation as though no payment had been attempted. The officer accepting negotiable paper shall make any memoranda necessary to enable him to make proper cancellation on its return without payment. Such officer shall incur no personal liability for the acceptance of negotiable paper pursuant to this chapter which is not paid on due presentment unless such paper is accepted in violation of any condition imposed by the board of supervisors.

When a cancellation is made, the officer making it shall enter it in the accounting records of his office. He shall immediately send a notice to the person who attempted payment by the negotiable paper of the cancellation of the payment. The validity of any license fee, permit fee, fee, fine or other obligation shall not be affected by any failure or irregularity in giving this notice.

(a) The state, and each city, whether general law or chartered, county, and district, each subdivision, department, board, commission, body, or agency of the foregoing, shall accept personal checks, in addition to any other authorized form of payment, drawn in its favor or in favor of a designated official thereof, in payment for any license, permit, or fee, or in payment of any obligation owing to the public agency or trust deposit, if the person issuing the check furnishes to the person authorized to receive payment satisfactory proof of residence in this state and if the personal check is drawn on a banking institution located in this state.
  (b) If any personal check, corporate check, cashier's check, money order, or other draft method offered in payment pursuant to this section is returned without payment, for any reason, a reasonable charge for the returned check, not to exceed the actual costs incurred by the public agency, may be imposed to recover the public agency's processing and collection costs. This charge may be added to, and become part of, any underlying obligation other than an obligation which constitutes a lien on real property, and a different method of payment for that payment and future payments by this person may be prescribed.
  (c) The acceptance of a personal check, corporate check, cashier's check, money order, or other draft method pursuant to this section constitutes payment of the obligation owed to the payee public agency to the extent of the amount of the check as of the date of acceptance when, but not before, the check is duly paid.
  (d) The provisions in subdivision (b) prohibiting a returned check charge being added to, and becoming a part of, an obligation which constitutes a lien on real property do not apply to obligations under the Veterans' Farm and Home Purchase Act of 1974 (Article 3.1 (commencing with Section 987.50) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code).

(a) The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:
  (1) "Credit card" means any card, plate, coupon book, or other credit device existing for the purpose of being used from time to time upon presentation to obtain money, property, labor, or services on credit.
  (2) "Card issuer" means any person, or his or her agent, who issues a credit card and purchases credit card drafts.
  (3) "Cardholder" means any person to whom a credit card is issued or any person who has agreed with the card issuer to pay obligations arising from the issuance of a credit card to another person.
  (4) "Debit card" means a card or other means of access to a debit card cardholder's account that may be used to initiate electronic funds transfers from that account.
  (5) "Draft purchaser" means any person who purchases credit card drafts.
  (6) "Electronic funds transfer" means any method by which a person permits electronic access to, and transfer of, money held in an account by that person.
  (b) Subject to subdivisions (c) and (d), a court, city, county, city and county, or other public agency may authorize the acceptance of a credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer for any of the following:
  (1) The payment for the deposit of bail for any offense not declared to be a felony or for any court-ordered fee, fine, forfeiture, penalty, assessment, or restitution. Use of a card or electronic funds transfer pursuant to this paragraph may include a requirement that the defendant be charged any administrative fee charged by the company issuing the card or processing the account for the cost of the transaction.
  (2) The payment of a filing fee or other court fee.
  (3) The payment of any towage or storage costs for a vehicle that has been removed from a highway, or from public or private property, as a result of parking violations.
  (4) The payment of child, family, or spousal support, including reimbursement of public assistance, related fees, costs, or penalties, with the authorization of the cardholder or accountholder.
  (5) The payment for services rendered by any city, county, city and county, or other public agency.
  (6) The payment of any fee, charge, or tax due a city, county, city and county, or other public agency.
  (7) The payment of any moneys payable to the sheriff pursuant to a levy under a writ of attachment or writ of execution. If the use of a card or electronic funds transfer pursuant to this paragraph includes any administrative fee charged by the company issuing the card or processing the account for the cost of the transaction, that fee shall be paid by the person who pays the money to the sheriff pursuant to the levy.
  (8) The payment of a donation, gift, bequest, or devise made to or in favor of a county, or to or in favor of the board of supervisors of a county, pursuant to Section 25355.
  (c) A court desiring to authorize the use of a credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer pursuant to subdivision (b) shall obtain the approval of the Judicial Council. A city desiring to authorize the use of a credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer pursuant to subdivision (b) shall obtain the approval of its city council. Any other public agency desiring to authorize the use of a credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer pursuant to subdivision (b) shall obtain the approval of the governing body that has fiscal responsibility for that agency.
  (d) After approval is obtained, a contract may be executed with one or more credit card issuers, debit card issuers, electronic funds transfer processors, or draft purchasers. The contract shall provide for the following matters:
  (1) The respective rights and duties of the court, city, county, city and county, or other public agency and card issuer, funds processor, or draft purchaser regarding the presentment, acceptability, and payment of credit and debit card drafts and electronic funds transfer requests.
  (2) The establishment of a reasonable means by which to facilitate payment settlements.
  (3) The payment to the card issuer, funds processor, or draft purchaser of a reasonable fee or discount.
  (4) Any other matters appropriately included in contracts with respect to the purchase of credit and debit card drafts and processing of electronic funds transfer requests as may be agreed upon by the parties to the contract.
  (e) The honoring of a credit card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer pursuant to subdivision (b) hereof constitutes payment of the amount owing to the court, city, county, city and county, or other public agency as of the date the credit or debit card is honored or the electronic funds transfer is processed, provided the credit or debit card draft is paid following its due presentment to a card issuer or draft purchaser or the electronic funds transfer is completed with transfer to the agency requesting the transfer.
  (f) If any credit or debit card draft is not paid following due presentment to a card issuer or draft purchaser or is charged back to the court, city, county, city and county, or other public agency for any reason, any record of payment made by the court, city, or other public agency honoring the credit or debit card shall be void. If any electronic funds transfer request is not completed with transfer to the agency requesting the transfer or is charged back to the agency for any reason, any record of payment made by the agency processing the electronic funds transfer shall be void. Any receipt issued in acknowledgment of payment shall also be void. The obligation of the cardholder or accountholder shall continue as an outstanding obligation as if no payment had been attempted.
  (g) If a credit card, debit card draft, electronic funds transfer, or other payment offered in payment is returned without payment, for any reason, a reasonable charge for the charge back or return, not to exceed the actual costs incurred by the public agency, may be imposed to recover the public agency's processing and collection costs. This charge may be added to, and become part of, any underlying obligation other than an obligation which constitutes a lien on real property, and a different method of payment for that payment and future payments by this person may be prescribed.
  (h) Notwithstanding Title 1.3 (commencing with Section 1747) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, a court, city, county, city and county, or any other public agency may impose a fee for the use of a credit or debit card or electronic funds transfer, not to exceed the costs incurred by the agency in providing for payment by credit or debit card or electronic funds transfer. These costs may include, but shall not be limited to, the payment of fees or discounts as specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (d). Any fee imposed by a court pursuant to this subdivision shall be approved by the Judicial Council. Any fee imposed by any other public agency pursuant to this subdivision for the use of a credit or debit card or electronic funds transfer shall be approved by the governing body responsible for the fiscal decisions of the public agency.
  (i) Fees or discounts provided for under paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) shall be deducted or accounted for prior to any statutory or other distribution of funds received from the card issuer, funds processor, or draft purchaser to the extent not recovered from the cardholder or accountholder pursuant to subdivision (h).
  (j) The Judicial Council may enter into a master agreement with one or more credit or debit card issuers, funds processors, or draft purchasers for the acceptance and payment of credit or debit card drafts and electronic funds transfer requests received by the courts. Any court may join in any of these master agreements or may enter into a separate agreement with a credit or debit card issuer, funds processor, or draft purchaser.