HB143 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

David SessionsSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Mobile Co., co. officers auth. to accept credit card payments, remedies, Act 99-651, 1999 Second Sp. Sess., am'd.

Summary

HB143 lets Mobile County elected officials accept credit card payments for amounts due and clarifies the costs and retroactive effect of doing so.

What This Bill Does

The bill authorizes Mobile County elected officials to accept credit card payments for all types of payments (taxes, licenses, fines, penalties, etc.). Officials decide whether to accept cards and may set policies and enter processor agreements, with rules that no discount off the face amount or mandatory administrative fees are allowed, and agreements can be canceled with notice. When card payments are used, the payer must be charged a fee to cover the office’s costs, including information technology, equipment, staff, and processing fees; the act clarifies that these fees have been or will be ratified and confirmed, and the changes are retroactive. The act also states that, if final payment isn’t received by the processor, the underlying obligation remains and the government retains its enforcement remedies, while officials accepting cards are not personally liable for final collection.

Who It Affects

• Mobile County elected officials and their offices (e.g., Revenue Commissioner, License Commissioner, Judge of Probate, County Commission, Sheriff) who may choose to accept credit card payments and set related policies.
• Payors (residents and businesses) who may pay taxes, licenses, fines, and other amounts by credit card and may be charged fees to cover the costs of accepting those payments.

Key Provisions

• Defines 'credit card' to include credit, charge, or debit cards issued by banks or lenders.
• Authorizes Mobile County elected officials to accept credit card payments for all types of amounts due and clarifies the scope of payments covered.
• Allows officials to adopt policies and enter into processing agreements, with restrictions that agreements cannot require a discount from the face amount nor pay an administrative fee, and may be canceled with reasonable notice.
• Requires a fee charged to card users to cover office costs related to card acceptance (IT, equipment, staff, processing/transaction fees).
• Affirms that the act clarifies existing law and ratifies fees previously collected; intended to avoid imposing new fees.
• Keeps underlying obligations enforceable if final payment is not received through the card transaction, and protects officials from personal liability in final collection.
• Effective immediately upon passage and goes into effect without delay.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Mobile County